The Second Generation The New Students
by ShadowedSword21
Summary: It's been six years since Soul and Maka defeated Asura. Since then more students have been drawn to the DWMA. this is the second generation, taught by Soul and Maka's. The old cannot always protect the new. And as such, the generation must take care of itself. And with each generation, comes the problems of it. Demons, Witches and Pre-Kishin, follow it all along with the comedy.OCs
1. New Students

**This is based six years after Maka defeated the Kishin. Next Generation classes, Black Star- Hand to Hand Combat, Maka And Soul- Weapons Demonstrations and Practice, Death the Kid and Liz- Marksmanship and Soul Resonance. Mifune-Swordsmanship and Scythe Practices, Crona- Guidance Counselor, Dr. Stein-Still the same as what he used to do.**

**Chapter 1**

**"Corey! Get up!" A voice yelled as his door flew open.**

**"Britney, shut the hell up!" The person being yelled at said.**

**He grumbled and whipped the covers off and started getting dressed. He pulled on the black jeans with a bit of difficulty as he hopped out of his room and into the small apartments living room/ kitchen.**

**His roommate, well actually his meister was waiting and upon noticing him threw a blueberry pancake at his head. He opened his mouth, catching most of it and the rest he managed to catch with his hand.**

**He smiled and pulled on the black shirt and his favorite belt, topping it all off with his necklace, a set of wings, on white, the other black. He sat down at the table, and caught the food his meister threw at him off the spatula with the plates around the table.**

**They glanced at the clock and he cursed, eating all the faster. As soon as they were finished he piled the dishes up in the already clogged sink and rushed out the door and running down the street. He could see his best friend waiting at the DMWA steps with his weapon…or his meister. **

**"Hey Carter, Jericho!" He smiled, waving as his meister jumped onto his back.**

**"Quit running so fast!"**

**"Sorry Britney, We're almost late!" He laughed.**

**"You aren't late Corey!" Carter called, ducking a black and blue katana blade that sprouted out of Jericho's arm.**

**"Jericho, quit trying to kill my best friend." Corey said as he ran by.**

**Jericho smiled, a deck of playing cards in a pack on his left hip. He always loved any game of gambling, Blackjack, Poker, Texas Hold'em, anything you could think of he could play and cheat in. Although you'd never catch him.**

**Corey and Britney walked into the door, picking up their schedules and heading off to their first class, Dr. Stein with Soulogy. He groaned a boring class he would probably sleep through. Death help him.**

**"Come on, you said yourself, we're almost late!" Britney shouted, ten feet ahead of him. He grunted and hurried after her. She entered a classroom and he heard the thudding of footsteps on stairs and ran into the classroom, easily locating the strawberry blonde girl about middle row on the end.**

**He instantly joined her in the empty seat to her left. He noticed Carter and Jericho walking in Jericho with a grin on his face. Probably already stripped some poor soul down to his pants in the last few minutes before class.**

**Corey groaned, putting his head down and pulling out a set of earphones and plugging them into his IPod, silently putting in the Deathdrum brand headphones and smiling as the tune of Monster by Skillet came in his ears. And instant later he frowned, a rolling or possibly a rickety sound resonating in his ears. He took out an ear phone and listened closer.**

**Then an old man zoomed in on a rolling chair, a cigarette in his mouth, a screw in his head, and a line of stitches circling his body and even his clothes. Corey took one glance at him and figured that he was their teacher. According to Shinigami-sama, Dr. Stein was once held by insanity, but had been cured by his partner and now wife, Maria.**

**"Okay then, roll call, " the professor took a drag on his cigarette, "Corey."**

**"Here"**

**The professor looked up at him. He stiffened under his glaze, it felt like he was being looked at under a microscope, or like his very soul was being examined with a scalpel. He shivered and the professor smiled.**

"**You have a very noisy soul, very energetic, but it can be easily controlled at you or your meister's will. You are easily amused, and hm….very protective of your meister. I've seen your personality many times." Stein said, waving him away.**

"**Britney"**

"**Here"**

**Again he looked at her, and again he smiled, "You're the blue hairs meister aren't you? Your calm, collected and observant. Your smart enough to have a plan, but reckless enough to follow someone else's with no clue about it or simply go with the flow." **

"**Ha! That's your girl for ya!" Carter laughed, pointing at Corey from across the room.**

"**Carter, your jumpy, fidgety and reckless. Your soul is highly adaptable despite most things and seem to be able to wield and turn into a weapon."**

"**Carter your such a fail." Jericho muttered.**

"**Jericho Peront, Very violent soul, reckless as Carter, or a bit more, your soul is shaped like a cats and you have a playing card embedded in it as well, the ace of spades. You seem to be a fire based weapon." The professor waved him away.**

**Corey looked stunned as he had named him completely, and from only a seconds glance at his soul. Britney on the other hand, smiled as she tried to see the professor's soul. She had over headed a blonde girl talking to her partner about the new peoples souls.**

**She growled silently as she tried to picture what a soul looked like. She figured it might be an orb or something with a little glow that was a person's life. She gasped as she saw the giant blue orb explode out of Steins chest and seemingly fill most of the room. There was a screw, a giant ass screw, in his soul. Sure there was a screw in his head, but she didn't think there would be one in his very soul!**

**Corey sighed, putting his earphone back in. The troubles of his life, an insane first block teacher, and a possibly insane second block teacher named Black*Star. He groaned again. The class was only for sword based weapons, and Black*Stars was an advanced class, and the basic was Mifune. During the entrance exam he had been deemed ready and suitable for advanced swordsmanship classes. **

**As it turned out, Black*Star wasn't insane, in fact, Corey thought he might be his favorite class ever! The dude had blue hair (finally someone with the same color!) and his weapon, Tsubaki, was a dark arm. The guy may have a god complex and be bossy, but he's an awesome swordsman and assassin! He and Britney were defeated within seconds when he pulled out his sword.**

**Jericho and Carter lasted a bit longer thanks to them constantly switching out and exchanging minimal blows, but they were soon defeated. Britney smiled as Carter skidded across the concrete floor of the practice room and into a wall, leaving a slight dent. Jericho wasn't far after him as he was thrown head first into the wall beside him.**

"**Dam you Black*Star! My head's stuck in a wall!" Jericho shouted.**

"**Pain." Carter groaned.**

"**You need a partner that will actually stay there and won't randomly call you out into a fight. A solid partner that you can count on and not one that you hate or fight with is best." Mifune said from across the room as he subconsciously blocked a slash from a novice.**

"**Dammit! He's right!" Carter said, kicking Jericho who was still stuck in a wall.**

"**So you need a new partner?" Britney asked, smiling at the two arguing.**

"**Something like that." Jericho managed through the concrete.**

"**It would be better." Both Black*Star and Mifune said in unison.**

"**But who could be found? Everyone has a partner in our class." Corey muttered.**

"**Not everyone, there are two possible people. The first is the new student, still don't have file on that one, don't even know the persons gender. The second is June. She's in the same class as you are-ugh!" Dr. Stein said until his rolling chair wheels were cut off by Black*Star.**

**Black*Star giggled as his weapon apologized to Stein. The professor dusted himself off, ignoring the laughs from other students, blasting Black*Star into a wall with his soul's wavelength.**

"**As I was saying before Black*Star rudely interrupted me, June is the girl in your class, she has no partner and the one she did well… he ended up in a wall after he made a move on her. She's been using hand to hand combat ever since and has no weapon. So you two can fight over who gets her." Dr. Stein said, setting the rolling chair on its remaining legs and sitting lops sided on it.**

"**MINE!" Carter shouted, smiling.**

**Jericho rolled his eyes and grinned, holding up a deck of cards. Carter blinked, and shook his head and ran out of the practice room. Jericho sighed and looked at Mifune and Black*Star, they smiled and held out their hands. Within eight turns, they were both out of money and stripped down to they're boxers.**

**Jericho laughed as he walked out with his apartments rent in his pocket. Black*Star complained how he had to beat the god of poker now and Mifune started looking for his clothes. Tsubaki blushed from the other side of the room.**

**Corey sighed, pulling out one of his earphones to listen to his partner, "So what's our next class?"**

**Britney stopped talking with Carter and turned to him, "It's Weapons Demonstration and Practice. With Maka Albarn and Soul Eater Ev-"**

"**Don't say my last name." A deep voice said from behind them.**

**Corey glanced behind him and stiffened as he found a weirder and at the same time, cooler hair color than his. The man he was looking at had white hair, like someone took bleach and just dumped the whole bottle on his head and left him in the spin cycle for a year or two. Corey couldn't help but smirk at the person raised an eyebrow at Corey's eye color.**

**Then again, Corey could help noticing the man's deep crimson eyes. I reminded him of blood, he resisted the urge to shiver and instead glared at him, a mischievous smirk set on his face. He almost laughed when he managed to get a twitch from the older man. His eyes helped a lot when it came to creeping someone out. Then again, how many people do you know have yellow eyes? Not a pale yellow, but a shade similar to that of cat's eyes, or possibly a blonde-ish.**

"**Those eyes are so uncool." The man said, snorting as he walked past him.**

"**Sorry snow white, didn't realize they creeped ya out that much." Corey replied, ignoring the death glare from his partner.**

**Corey watched as a vein popped out on the man's head and his foot paused only an inch from the floor, "Snow WHITE?" He growled, turning to glared at Corey.**

**Corey instantly stiffened as he looked into the crimson orbs, he shivered as they looked at him with an intense glare. He had never felt shocked or anything close to what he felt now. It was like he was in the palm of some giant demon that was about to smash him against the wall.**

**It was the man's turn to laugh as he saw Corey's reaction, "it's always the same with the freshman." He said as he walked down the hall and into a classroom.**

"**You okay Corey?" Britney asked, poking him in the head.**

"**Fine," He snapped instantly pissed that he froze up like that in front of not only the man, but his partner and his best friend who was currently on the ground laughing.**

**He jammed his headphone back in as his I-pod changed it to Light Up the Sky-Yellowcard. He found his head nodding slightly to the beat as he followed Britney into the classroom. He found the room black with a sleek white piano in one corner. On the opposite side of the room was a set of training dummies and sheets of concrete and weights for either training and in the case of the concrete blocks, resistance against an attack.**

**But he didn't care that there was a piano, or training dummies, or even that there were speakers in one corner. He was glaring at the teacher of the class, his yellow eyes burning holes in the man's skull. The teacher didn't flinch but returned the glare with the same one as in the hallway. His partner slammed a thick 478 page book into the back of his skull as he took a step forward.**

"**Ow." He said.**

"**Quit terrorizing the students Soul." His partner said.**

"**He was staring at me with those creepy little cat eyes Maka." Soul complained, rubbing his dented skull.**

**Corey rolled his eyes and looked around the room, just noticing that neither Corey nor Jericho were in the same room. He frowned as he found six other students in the room with him. He didn't bother examining them as he changed the song with a quick click of a button on the side of his earphone. It started playing Riot- Three Days Grace.**

**Corey's foot started tapping to the beat as the girl, Maka he believed began explaining the class, "In this class you'll be observing the advanced techniques of other meister's and weapons and finding new techniques for yourself. This also includes instruction on Soul resonance attacks, like Witchunter. Now then, I'm the meister, Maka Albarn, please to meet you!" She smiled.**

**Corey looked at her. She was a slimmer girl, and he cocked his head to the side as he noticed that she was… for lack of a better word, almost as flat as a board. She had small hips and her hair was falling down, framing her face and descending all the way down to her shirt collar. He shrugged, Britney had a much better figure.**

"**I'm Soul, Soul Eater to be specific. I'm her weapon, and a Death Scythe. Any questions before we get started with the first example?" He asked, raising his voice slightly to broadcast to the back of the room.**

**Corey raised his hand.**

"**Yup what is it cat-eyes?"**

"**Why the hell is there a piano in here?" He asked bluntly.**

"**Because I like pianos. Do you feel like taking this any farther? I always would love another training dummy."**

"**Nah, I'm fine with that. Just wondering." Corey shrugged.**

**Soul looked at him for a second and cocked his head to the side, "Are you a weapon or a meister?"**

**Corey smiled, "Weapon, meister is this chick." He jabbed a finger at Britney who waved.**

**Soul smiled and nodded. Then he jumped in the air and changed into a wicked red and black scythe which Maka caught and twirled experimentally a few times before it rested on her shoulder. She looked at the class and smiled.**

"**This is a basic Soul Resonance attack and also the bread and butter of all Scythemeister abilities, Witchunter." She explained as she faced her target.**

**She took a deep breath before saying, "Soul Resonance!" The two words seeming to come from a megaphone even though it was only a single meister. Instantly the scythe blade flashed a blue and the back of the blade shot out to a point as it expanded rapidly in mere milliseconds. Corey watched as a bright red eye snapped open on the blade were the original black one had been.**

"**WITCH HUNTER!" She shouted as she wiped the large blade around, the tip barely missing the ceiling as she slammed it down on the training dummy, cutting it cleanly in half as the blade looped through the floor as the thin girl spun the long handle and it came whirling back to resting on her shoulder.**

"**Nice." Corey said, once again changing the song to The catalyst- The Black Eyed Peas.**

**Maka smiled, "now it's time for your practice trials! The basis to a good Soul Resonance is simply sending a soul wave length between the weapon and the meister, this is called resonating. So therefore just resonate with your partner and let your soul wavelengths bounce back and forth. This will create a charge of sorts in the weapon and amplifying your own soul wavelength. The structure the weapon takes varies on person to person and weapon to weapon. However the weapon is only used to transmit the wavelength. Some people can transmit a strong wavelength by themselves without a weapon, like Dr. Stein or Black*Star. " Maka explained.**

**Several people nodded excitedly and rushed off with their partners to practice. Corey and Britney smiled and looked at each other. Corey grabbed one of her hands and threw her up in the air. Her feet barely touching the thirteen foot ceiling as she started falling down. Corey jumped, using on of the nearby support columns as he changed into a weapons.**

**Britney snatched the weapon out of the air, sinking the blade into a column and sliding down it smiling. She always enjoyed it when Corey wanted to show off. She could already hear his soul resonating with hers a little. His music trickling over to her almost as if he was on a radio. He was listening to one of her favorite songs right now. God is a Girl by Groove Coverage. He smiled at her from the weapon's blade. She nodded as their souls grew closer for a second before slowly joining.**

"**Soul…Resonance!" She said as she felt the rush of music from Corey's soul.**

**The blades she held in her hand stretched, and as she reversed her grip, a small semi-circle open up on the back of the blade, resulting in five foot long sword in each hand, connected by a glowing, spiked wire. The swords curved back slightly and about a foot away from the hilts of the sword if curved back before shooting back towards the tip and dropping down to from a tanto drop point.(1)**

**She twirled the blades in her hand, the chain lengthened and shortened to fit her needs of length as she spun the deadly blades. She took two steps forward before it turned into a straight-out sprint by Maka and Soul as she drew the swords up to her chin, crossing them to form an X. As she severed the training dummy's head spikes erupted from the blade, stabbing the straw filled head several times before the Resonance faded as Britney was left holding two normal shortsword in each hand, connected by a slim chain.**

"**Nice on blueberry." Britney said, looking at Corey smirk in his weapon form.**

**Normally, the shortsword were just two perfectly straight blades that tapered to a point. The thin chain connecting them was the only proof that it was one single weapon.**

**~*~*~*~*~*~*~*With~*~Carter~*~*~*~*~*~**

**Carter dashed through the halls, excited when he found out he just might share his next class with a possible new partner. According to the profile he snatched out of the Docs hand, June was sixteen, so a year younger than he was, she had light brown hair opposed to his dark brown hair. Blue eyes to his black ones, but the thing that caught his attention most was the complaints. She was sneaky, mischievous and stubborn. She sounded like his type of girl.**

**He opened the class room door, and looked inside, then at his schedule. He glanced at the teacher. It, was a pink haired …he blinked twice and cocked his head to the side. He scratched his head and looked at the class of 28 other people. He sighed, ignored the teacher and walked to an empty seat by some girl. **

**He pulled out June's profile and flipped through the pages until he found where he left off, at the three page, fourth paragraph, second sentence. He continued reading as the girl looked at him.**

"**Why do you have my profile?" She asked as she examined Carter.**

**Carter was about 5'11, seventeen and had slimmer that Corey, and instead of a bulkier muscled body like his blue haired friend, his muscles were almost compacted into his small frame. Carter had less body fat than Corey, yet he still lost to him in arm wrestling competitions simply because while Corey wasn't exactly compacted into a small frame, he had more muscles and a weight advantage of about…forty pounds.**

**While June was observing Carter, Carter was doing the same to June.**

_**Thin, shorter than me by about two inches, looks ready to throw me out a window. …I like her.**_** Carter thought as he observed the girls petty form and found her to be strikingly pleasant. Granted she didn't have a rack like Britney, but not everyone can. He sighed and barely stopped himself from falling on his face. She was flat as a board…T^T.**

**"I have your profile because I need a meister." Carter finally said looking her in the eyes.**

**June looked Carter over once again and shrugged, " We'll see." She said indifferently.**

**Carter smirked as he sat down next to her, "Fine with me flat chest." He smiled.**

**June glared at him, daggers stabbing at him but eventually dismissed the nickname and figured it would be a natural thing she'd hear now. "So what's your name…. partner?" June smiled.**

**"Carter, please to meet ya June." Carter shook the girls small hand, "So don't slap me with that high heel in your hand." Carter said just as the black four inch high heel whipped around and barely missed his face as he dropped to the ground.**

**"Quick reflexes." She noted.**

**"Why your old partner was as bad as mine, you learn to act fast." Carter replied, springing lightly to his feet and sitting back down in his chair.**

**June smiled and they continued talking until the end of class were they met up with Corey and Britney. Carter and Corey instantly smiled, high-fiving each other and walking behind the girls. They barely listened to the conversation because it probably would be either something they would slap them if they heard or something dumb.**

**"So, June agree to be your new partner?" Corey asked, smiling as he pulled out and started chewing lightly on an ear bud.**

**"Yup, so what about you and Britney? Who are you two working out? I know you've been a pair since last summer and you came to the DWMA together, but how's your resonance?" carter asked.**

**"Easy, it's really smooth. Sorta like a slow dancing song." Corey said, thoughtfully.**

**"Don't you hate slow music?" Carter laughed.**

**"Ugh, yes! It has no excitement in it!" Corey complained.**

**Britney looked back at him and smiled at him as she watched Corey's face change along with the song. He shot her a furious look and threw his earphones at her.**

**"That's not funny Britney!" He snapped as she caught them and put them in smiling. **

**She smiled and stuck her tongue out at him as she handed one to June who took it and nodded thankfully. Britney glanced back at Corey who was fuming.**

**"What song did she download?" Carter asked, curious what got his best friend so pissed at his partner.**

**"Love like Woe." He managed to growled through clenched teeth.**

**Britney held out her hand and Corey slapped his I-pod into her hand. "This sucks." He said as they walked to the front of the steps. They sat down on random steps, Carter sprawled out on the second top while June sat by his head. Corey was upside-down next to Britney, glaring swords at her for messing with his music.**

**"Geez, I'm sorry okay Corey!" Britney laughed.**

**Corey sighed and grumbled something before swiping his earphone from her ear and slipping it back in his ear noting that the song had changed to Now You're Gone by Basshunter he believe. Wasn't completely sure on the artist.**

**"Thought you hated slow music?" Britney asked.**

**Corey glared at her and held up one finger before he spun onto his stomach and stood up on his hands, falling forward onto his feet. There he cracked his back and ran down the three steps before kicking Carter in the back as hard as he could, sending the poor guy tumbling down the steps, cursing the blueberry's name.**

**"I do, but I'd die if carter or Jericho found out. I'm supposed to be the cool, collected, awesome musical guy that has all these badass songs and stuff. But I'm still a guy. I still like the occasional romance song, I still have a playlist for them, just not open to the public. The only music I don't like is screamo. Mostly because it has no detectable rhythm to me. So when Carter gets back up here, I was a bet and it was to delete the slow songs on my I-pod." Corey said, smiling a bit as the song changed to Cinderella by Tata Young.**

**"Why do you have this downloaded?" Corey asked glancing at Britney.**

**"I'd rather rescue myself." Britney replied.**

**Corey grinned, walking by June and snatching his earphone and popping it in and shuffling the songs and putting the slow or romantic songs into a new folder. He smiled and changed to his tracks, it started playing If Everyone Cared by Nickelback.**

**"Come on Britney, it's your turn to cook and we have that mountain of dishes." Corey taunted as he watched her groan and wave bye to June, "And June!"**

**June's head snapped up and cocked to the side, "Partners have to live together! Now look behind your ear!" June pulled out a thin white sheet of notebook paper, she opened the folded paper and smiled as she found not only Britney's number, but also Corey's. Under Corey's was a note that said, 'Just call when you want carter out of your hair for a bit. I don't mind.'**

**"Thanks!" she shouted.**

**Corey looked back and smiled, shaking his head. The first day at the DWMA, ended up to be pretty good. He cracked his neck as he nodded his head slowly to his music. And he could almost taste all the things that group were going to do over the school year. He smirked.**

**OI! I need ONE character description. However! Since it's only one, ( I might add another pair, need Ideas for that so really three Oc's) for a pair with Jericho. I just really need a name, personality, Hair color, eye color, basic info like that, what he likes, hates, blab bla bla and since it's really going to be a three Oc's needed ( I can work with only one) He/She/it can be either a weapon or a meister! Okay! PLEASE HELP ME BROS / PEEPS/ PEOPLE/ edible substances with brains! **


	2. Short 1 Of Baseball and Concussions

**Also for the record, there will be random shorts mixed in with the actual story line every now and then. If they actually 'happened' in the storyline I'll notify at the beginning. Usually with a giant puppy in a unicorn suit eating pasta with a spork…CARTER QUIT SCREWING WITH MY LAPTOP! "Sowwy" Anywho, on to the short! So, THERES A GIANT PUPPY IN A UNICORN SUIT EATING A FRIED PIECE OF SOUL'S HAIR WITH A FORK! or is that lasagna...hm...**

**Short 1**

**Of Baseball and Concussions**

**Teams: Old Guys vs. New Dudes of totally badassery**

**Score Limit: Ten**

**Cheerleader: They're partners, or wives.**

**"Carter! Heads up!" Corey called watching the ball arch beautifully (and symmetrically) across the field.**

**Carter groaned, booking it from second base and jumping in the air to snatch the white ball out of the air and pelting it out at third base. Jericho's glove snapped close as Soul slid into the base. Dr. Stein looked at the scene and called it, "SAFE!"**

**"JACKASS!" Jericho shouted.**

**Stein shrugged as Black*Star ran up to bat, jumping down. Corey smiled and cracked his neck. **

**"Song switch, Breaking the Habit, a.s.a.p." He said as he pulled the ball back to pitch.**

**He practically shot the ball as it slammed into the white square they had painted on the metal fence. The ball grinding away from the spin as it tried to spin through the strong steel wires. Black*Star snorted as he tossed the ball back.**

**Corey threw it to Carter who was at second base. He smiled as he threw the ball. Black*Star swung, hitting the ball square in to the sky. Black*Star gave a 'yahoo' as he started a speech on surpassing god. Jericho yawned, walking slowly in front of him and raising his glove up. A white streak seemed to fall from the sky as Black*Star pointed to the heavens. Jericho caught the slightly on fire ball and belted Black*Star upside the head, proclaiming an OUT!**

**Corey snickered while Soul straight out laughed, Carter was already rolling on the ground laughing. Tsubaki sighed dragging the slightly delirious Black*Star off the field. Soul got up, pulling out a metal bat from his bag. He twirled it experimentally before stepping up to the plate.**

**Corey gave a pitch, which Soul it cleanly off the new bat, the ball flying twenty feet directly it Corey's forehead. Corey did something similar to getting hit in the face with a two ton beam of iron as he flipped and landed sprawled out on his back.**

**"That shit hurt!" Corey groaned out as he rolled back and forth holding his head.**

**"Oi, student you okay?" Soul asked as he loomed over him.**

**"What do you think old man?" Corey growled, groaning as everything in his head spun.**

**"I bet he has a concussion." June muttered.**

**"Is he okay?" Britney asked.**

**Corey groaned, rolling over, his face now in the dirt," Song switch, I'm Not Alright." He managed.**

**They all laughed at that and Britney managed only to snicker. Soul sighed while Kid started to call Dr. Stein over. Maka, Liz, and Patty walked over. Carter and Jericho noted that the eyes of the older men snapped to their wife's swaying hips and Black*Star's snapped up at the jiggle.* Carter snorted while Jericho ignored it. Corey was still groaning as Dr. Stein leaned over him.**

**"Mild concussion, nothing too serious." He said instantly as he watched the blueberry's soul spin with earphones dancing around his head. He almost laughed.**

**"Can he still play?" Jericho asked.**

**Stein looked at him and said," If you want a delirious pitcher and first baseman."**

**Corey sat up, "I can still play!" He snapped before doubling over from a splitting headache, "Okay I can't."**

**"Come on let's take him home." Britney sighed.**

**"Whatever, we can substitute, TSUBAKI! YOU'RE PLAYING FOR THEM!" Soul shouted.**

**Britney smiled and started the heave up the blueberry, just before she collapsed under his weight. Immediately she was hoisted up on her feet by Jericho and Corey was caught by Soul and Carter.**

**"I can stand on my own!" Corey managed to snap, before collapsing into Carter's chest, "Don't say it Britney." He growled.**

**He growled, his splitting headache was making him dizzy and he could barely see straight. He scowled when June and Britney managed to drag him to his feet. He grunted and motioned for Jericho to help him out.**

**Jericho smiled and took his weight from Carter and Soul, smirking a bit as Corey helped him. Little did they know, Corey's head was about as hard as a bowling ball. He probably still had a concussion, but only a minor one. He could walk, and talk, and follow the plan.**

**"Come on Britney, I don't exactly know where you live." Jericho said impatiently.**

**Corey thought quietly about his plan, silently and discretely helping the black haired man with his weight, after all, 200 pounds of muscle is a lot to carry on one shoulder. The guys watched the blueberry, Jericho and Britney walk away towards the apartments as they all walked to their different homes and locations.**

**As they walked around the corner Jericho dropped Corey's shoulder. He smiled, high-fiving Jericho as he walked away, smiling at his friend. Britney looked back to find Corey pulling out both his headphones. Something so rare, she had only seen it twice, once when they fell out because she slapped him for being in her room, once when he was sleeping upside-down on a bus. She frowned, worried that this was serious.**

**"Corey, you just took out your headphones." She said, frowning.**

**"And?"**

**"You never take them out."**

**He smiled and shrugged, "It's a special moment." **

**Now Britney was curious, "Why is it a special moment?"**

**Corey smiled, walking forward as he wrapped his arm around her shoulder, "It's the first day you haven't hit me for doing this."**

**Britney rolled her eyes and glared at him, but she couldn't bring herself to smash the moment by slapping him, she didn't like it because she was shorter than him. She decided that she'd let him do this if it made him happy, just as long as he didn't suddenly hug her.**

**As if reading her thoughts he picked her up, a yelp emitted from her lips as he gave her a hug. He smiled as she glared at him, but her hands were trapped by his arms, and they were still in her pockets.**

**She sighed, "So you set all this up, just to hug me?"**

**"Hey, Meisters and Weapons are supposed to get along, they're supposed to be comfortable around each other , they're supposed to be like best friends." He said simply.**

**She smiled.**

***tsubaki's jiggle and yes I did feel somewhat ashamed that I typed that. im waiting for June to slap me...*high heel in the face* or that... Also since htis one didn't actually happen, Corey has a voice controled Ipod and still wireless earphone. So he's happy right now. And Oc editions are still up! And i will take either Weapons or meister! I don't care which...and possibly a witch's profile... I'll probably need one sooner or later...**


	3. A Partner for My Cat

**Chello everybody! Since I hate spoilers I won't tell you which Oc I picked until she/he/it/Crona type gender is revealed in the story line! That being said, Chellos are eating my feet. And yes I do know that a cello is a musical instrument. However, I use it as a greeting. **

**Chapter 2**

**A Partner for my Cat**

**"Hey Jericho, have ya talked to your partner yet?" Corey asked as he walked up the steps to the DWMA.**

**"Nah, I don't share any class with him." Jericho said, shrugging as he reached the top of the steps and hopped onto the railing and laid down on it.**

**"Oi, isn't that him right now?" Carter said, pointing to a kid with short black hair and a longer bang that covered his right eye.**

**"Why does he have that grey highlight?" Corey asked, pulling out one ear bud and raising one eyebrow. **

**The kid was wearing a plain white T-shirt and a dark pair of baggy blue jeans that gave Carter the thought to try and pants him, Corey managed to hold him back. He had a brown linked belt that held the pants up and over his shirt he wore a blue jean jacket. He wore black converses that had red lining and soles.**

**Jericho smiled as he observed the guy he had the look of a shy kid. He would look around, trying to be discreet about it, but failing. Jericho strolled up and rested a hand on his shoulder. He stiffened and looked over his shoulder.**

**"Jason Hutchins right?" Jericho asked.**

**"Um…" He muttered, Jericho watched as he squirmed under Jericho firm hold on his shoulder.**

**"thought so, anyway, I'm Jericho Peront, nice to meet you. I was looking for a partner and I heard you didn't have a weapon yet, so…" Jericho explained.**

**"Um… I'll think about…Jericho." Jason said as he slipped quickly out of Jericho's grip and ran to class.**

**Jericho blinked and frowned, he shrugged and walked back to Corey and Carter. They waited on the girls, who had stopped at a coffee shop a few minutes ago. Corey was glancing nervously at his watch, they only had a few minutes until class started, it was already 7:18.**

**Corey groaned as he watched students rush in and some of his teachers, specifically, Soul Eater, Maka, and Black*Star. Corey sighed and leaned over the railing and looked down the steps, trying to find his partner. He quickly spotted her as she jogged up the steps. She was getting several stares from the male populous as she jiggled. **

**Corey's fist clenched and he felt his knuckles sprout a set of spikes. Carter yelped as they shot out nine inches and jabbed him in the wrist. Corey apologized quickly as he calmed himself enough for the spikes to disappear. They quickly reappeared as he watched one of the idiot males try to feel her butt.**

**Before the poor kid could reconsider the attempted action he found himself face-down on the concrete platform with Corey's boot in his head. Corey growled, resisting the urge to hang him off the spikes of the school and let him off lightly, just barely conscious.**

**Carter whistled from his position next to Jericho, "How fast do you think he ran down the steps?"**

**Jericho looked at Carter confused, "He used the steps?" **

**They gave a short laugh as they walked to their classes, well, everyone except Jericho, who walked to the front desk. He asked for Jason Hutchins schedule, he was granted it after he 'accidently' set her chair on fire. He struggled to keep the fire in control as he bottled the power up again, it was getting harder every day.**

**He walked swiftly to Jason's first class which was… Jericho frowned at the schedule, they had a history class? Jericho was in wonder that they even taught history here as he realized that the room was on the other side of the school. He took off running.**

**"Yo, Jason." Jericho said a few minutes later as he sat down next to the startled guy.**

**"Oh, Jericho..." Jason said, scooting his chair a bit farther away.**

**Jericho sighed as he looked at the shy guy, " I won't eat, maul, strangle, punch, kick, bite, crucify, or kill you." Jericho said as he leaned his chair against the wall behind him. **

**Jason nodded.**

**Jericho groaned to himself, it was probably gonna take a lot of work to get this guy to open up to him. Then again, all it could take was a poker game, but he'd rather not play poker with him as he has seen people act shy to fool people and scamming money off of them.**

**"Jason, why don't we get to know each other a bit in this boring as all get out class." Jericho said, his eyes glued to the clock.**

**"Okay then… so what's your favorite color?" Jason asked.**

**"Black."**

**"Food?"**

**Jericho opened his mouth before closing it several times before he decided on his food, " Ramen."**

**Jason smiled as he pulled out a cup of instant noodles from nowhere. Jericho gave him a look that resembled a beggar worshiping the rich man who gave him a handful of bills. Jericho smiled as Jason gave him the cup and Jericho pulled out a water bottle. He opened the lid and poured in the correct amount of water.**

**"Wait, we need a microwave to make them, don't we?" Jason asked, confused why Jericho was making them now.**

**Jericho gave Jason a sly grin as he snapped his fingers twice and concentrated the fire within his soul to his right palm. Instantly Jericho's hand burst into flickering blue and black flames. Jericho grunted as he adjusted the heat and set the noodles on his hand.**

**Jason took a step back in surprise, "That's amazing!" Jason said.**

**"It's actually because of something in my soul, but I'd rather not scare you with the story." Jericho said, he felt it clawing at his soul, his body, and his mind.**

**He quickly bottled up the flames and handed the noodles back to Jason. Jason looked at the ramen before carefully eating a few noodles. He grinned as he found them just right.**

**"Thanks Jericho, I haven't had breakfast." Jason said, holding out his hand.**

**Jericho looked at the hand for a second before shaking it, "So does this mean we're partners?" **

**Jason smiled sheepishly, "I guess so… heh heh"**

**Jericho smiled, he finally had a partner. Sweet.**

**~With Corey~**

**"Britneyyyyyyyyyy~!" Corey groaned out, earning a glare from Dr. Stein.**

**"what?" She growled, furiously taking down notes.**

**"Can I kill someone?" Corey asked bluntly, his face completely straight.**

**"Why?"**

**"Because the stupid guys not taking the hint to back off and is staring at you lustfully. Can I kill or mortally, severely kill him or debilitate him for the rest of his life?" Corey glared at the guy from across the room.**

**"No, now turn off Riot by Three day Grace and switch it to something soothing." Britney instructed, which Corey did grumbling as he pulled out his Ipod.**

**About ten minutes later, Corey had taken to throwing items at the kid, including, pens, pencils, hats, books, his book bag, a hairclip, paperclips, and his shoes. He was about to rip out Stein's screw and peg him with it when the bell rang.**

**Corey grunted, helping Britney pick up her books and carried them for her. Britney thanked him and started to walk out. The kid stopped her.**

**"Hey, do you wanna go out with me?" He asked. **

**"Nope." Corey snapped, his boot slamming his skull onto the ground, "Now, that being said, if you don't stop staring at his, I will turn into a weapon and hang your head on the spike outside school. Or stab you, mutilate you, or castrate you." As he said this, nineteen inch spikes sprouted from his knuckles. "do you understand?" He asked as he slammed the spikes in front of his eyes.**

**Corey frowned at the lack of answering. He then noticed the foaming of the mouth, and his unfocused eyes. He shrugged, kicking the unconscious/fainted body across the room and helping Britney to the door, casually, h flicked off the boy as he exited.**

**"Corey, you know you can't kill every guy who glances at me." Britney said as she walked to her locker.**

**"I can dam well try." He grunted, anger, rage and an I-will-kill-you-if-you-touch-my-meister aura radiated off of him like insanity off the Kishin, multiplied by the power of googolplex.**

**Britney sighed as she walked to her Tuesday's second block, history. Corey instantly decided to sleep through it. However as he noticed his thoughts changed instantly.**

**The teacher. Had. A. TAIL! And JACKAL EARS! Thousands of thoughts rushed into his head, most of which her quickly shot, threw away and then burned the trashcan in his mind. Only two were ones he wanted to try.**

**One: If he scratched her ears, would she purr like a cat of smile contently like a dog. Two: what would happen if he pulled her tail. He was about to voice these thoughts to Britney when he was dragged to his seat. He blinked twice and saw Britney dragging him by his shirt collar up the stairs.**

**"Fine, I won't," He said as she threw him into a chair and sat down next to him.**

**"you better not, now go to sleep." Britney snapped.**

**Corey's eyes widened, "Did you just give me permission to go to sleep in class?" His mouth dropped open in surprise, and on the other side of the school, Death the Kid felt an imbalance that shifted the perfect symmetry of the world call logic and insanity.";;lawkfhewlhawoih" Corey's mind broke.**

**"Corey I want you to sleep so you do not torture our history teacher by pulling her tail. Now then, go into a coma nad put your mind back together." Britney patted the broken blueberry as his head slammed onto the table and he went into a coma for the rest of the class. "Good boy." Britney rubbed his head, smiling.**

**In Corey's mind he found himself sitting in a room with speakers lining every room. He held the wireless remote in his hand. He knew from experience that the songs were played by reflection of his thoughts. There was one door on the other end other end of the room which he knew lead to a hallway filled with may doors, yet no matter which one he opened, he'd end up in Britney's or his soul.**

**He closed his eyes, wishing for an actual dream. In the end he started daydreaming, he was wearing a suit for some reason he smiled as he snatched a black hat off the railing in the house. There was a black stripe that circled around it and above it was an imprint of headphones. He smiled as he felt wireless headphones foam around his ears, he could feel the beat as it came on through the speakers.**

**"Let's Rock!" He shouted as his friends suddenly appeared beside him as he walked out the door.**

**Britney smiled at him, dressed in black dress pants and a button up red shirt with a black and blue tie that hung loosely around her neck. She smiled and held out her hand. Carter smiled, he was wearing a long-sleeved black shirt and black jeans, a small sliver chain hung from belt loop to belt loop. June was beside him in cargo pants and a plain white T-shirt.**

**He had no clue what this was, it went from him in a house to him standing on a battlefield. He could feel that his hair had become uneven and spiky. He smiled, Britney always made him comb in somewhat flat. The suit had changed to jeans and a tight black T-shirt. He had on a red tie that he could barely feel, so it was probably really loose. He felt metal on his hand which were in his pockets. He looked down finding a chain that acted as a belt and small swords, only two or three inches long hung from every third link.**

**He watched as the sky darkened and turned black and blue. Clouds swirled about, forming a vortex in the sky, he felt wind almost wrench him off him feet, and then a blast of almost bone shearing heat, he wouldn't be surprised if he developed an insta-tan from that.**

**Then his dream was wrestled away from him, pulling him back into the speaker filled room. He gasped. That was the only reaction he could think of that would even begin to show his shock, surprise, bewilderment, confusion, and every other emotion he could think of.**

**Then the room faded to a black as he woke to Britney shaking him awake. He groaned, his brain still processing the information the dream or prophecy or whatever the heck it was bleached out onto him.**

**"Corey? You're sweating, you're cold, and your eyes are dilating. Do you need to go to the nurse's office?" the tailed teacher asked.**

**Corey looked up, his hair standing up as he looked from the jackal ears to the jackal tail. "yes ma'am." He said, wanting to get out of this class.**

**Britney escorted him to the nurse's door, but as soon as she was around the corner, he raced down the opposite hallway, having to loop around himself several times to get to the room he wanted to go to. He stared at the door for only a second before pushing it open.**

**Guillotines lined the walkway, showing that he had indeed picked the right pathway. He walked down the hall, looking at the giant blades that loomed over head. He smiled, he felt at home for some reason. Then as he thought about it it made sense. Simon always did tell him to be alert and ready.**

**"Yo, Shinigami-sama!" He shouted.**

**"Yo, Corey-kun!" Shinigami-sama called from the Death Room.**

**As Corey walked farther along he saw Shinigami-sama and Death Scythe sitting together drinking tea. Corey silently wondered how he drank tea when he had no mouth with that mask.**

**"Lord Shinigami-sama, I have either something completely ridiculous to tell you, or this is really, really bad." Corey said, taking out a headphone even if the volume was very low.**

**"Okay, would you like some tea?" He asked.**

**"Uh…no thank you." Corey said, sweatdropping.**

**"So what'd you hear or see?" Death Scythe asked.**

**"It was a dream so it's probably nothing, but I was standing on a broken road with my meister and my friends. The clouds were blue and black and they were swirling into a darker blue vortex. Then some huge blast of heat came out of nowhere. It was so hot I though it tanned my bones for a second." Corey said, a slight smile at the last line.**

**The two exchanged a deathly glance, instantly Corey wished he hadn't smiled, " What, is something wrong?" He asked. Instantly the two snapped to laughing.**

**"Nah, nah, it's just so wacked! Haha!" Spirit shouted, slapping his knee as he went from laughing to falling off the chair laughing.**

**Corey scratched his head and went to leave, "Okay, uh…have a nice day Lord Shinigami-sama, Death Scythe." **

**As the blue berry walked out of the room, pausing only a second to look at the blades lining the hallway before exiting, the two exchanged glances. There are no such things as bad dreams. It is either the future, or the past, and a bad memory at that.**

**They nodded.**

**Corey yawned as he closed the door to the Death Room. He needed some actual sleep, Britney kept him up all night and that movie didn't help in the least. They argued at least for an hour on who would fix popcorn.**

**As he walked back in class, ignoring the glances from people and the urge to yank the teachers tail, and sat down back in his chair. He slipped in his other headphone, having taken one out to listen to Shinigami-sama and Death Scythe, he cranked up the volume to full blast and tilted back in his chair until it hit the wall.**

**"Night." He mumbled to Britney who nodded as he slipped into an actual sleep.**

**~With Jericho~**

**"Oh God Oh God Oh God Oh GOD HELP MEEE!" He shouted, racing through the halls.**

**Class had already been dismissed a few minute ago and the late bell was about to ring. He could hear Carter laughing now, late on the second day of school. Well, he did skip the first block, but he needed a partner, tomorrow they're schedule would be reformatted.**

**He yelped as he saw a girl crouched to get her books out of her locker. He had no time to stop, none as he was caught mid-sprint. His faster-than-human eyes flashed along her body, identifying traits and clothing in the blink of an eye.**

**He had long straight hair that was a dark black that fell down her back and shoulders as she crouched to get her books. The blue streak in it startled him a bit as he thought about Corey's , although Corey's hair was a bit darker. She was wearing a tight midnight blue shirt and cargos which he noted were an emerald green and held more pockets and zippers than most. The sneakers she wore had a blue swirl on it, standing out heavily against the black.**

**He managed to catch all this as his knee hit her hip. He frowned as his books slipped ut of his grip, flying into the air and the girl started to turn around to punch whoever did that. He smiled, pulling his legs back and over his head in a flip as he caught his books and landed on his feet and once again taking off down the hallway.**

**"Who the hell was that!" She growled, her eyes darting up and down the hall way before they caught a glimpse of a deck of cards attached to black jeans that was running away from her. "Hey! Poker boy!" She shouted.**

**Jericho didn't stop, although he cast a hand back as if to say sorry.**

**She growled, stalking off down the hallway with her books in hand, a curious black spark arcing from fingertip to fingertip as she calmed down. She would kill that boy later…**

Okay as you can see…I chose two Ocs…mostly because Jericho was begging...he like Rei…althought I though Jason would be a fun character to work with too….Anyway thanks for the character profiles! And I even go a witches! Yay! Future refrences! Hurah! Also people whom's Character's I used, you can tell me what I did wrong in your reviews! I'd enjoy a little criticizm, just no flaming lol.


	4. Roadtrips and Timelimits

***getting strangled by Jericho* "LET REI ON SET" *slapping the ground* this isn't positive on getting her on! 'But I'm already on set' Oh..hey Rei… *roundhouse kicks Jericho in the face* THAT"S FOR RUNNING INTO ME IN THE HALLWAY!" **

**Chapter 3**

**Roadtrips.**

**~With the super awesome ninja of awesomeness "GIVE ME BACK THE KEYBOARD!" No it's just Carter~**

Roll to the left, right, sit up, roll to the left again, flip backwards onto the wall, slide down, collapse on floor, roll over onto feet, stand up, step to the left, right, jump, duck, flip backward, hook foot around leg, pull. Carter smiled as he heard the satisfying crash as his assailant fell to the floor, rubbing her head.

"June you should know by now, you will never get me." Carter said as he walked over to the chest of drawer he kept his clothes in.

June groaned, rubbing the back of her head as she got up off the wooden floor of Carter's room. It had been one week since they had decided to team up and she had tried multiple times of catch him off guard and flip-kick or telephone punch or drive a 6 inch high heel through his skull.

"I've told you at least a gazillion times already, my old partner wasn't fully reliable, so I've had to be aware…that and I've had a hell of a lotta training in almost any fighting style you can think of." Carter sighed as he ducked a roundhouse kick.

He pulled on the long-sleeved black shirt, it was a thick and tight shirt that was meant for close-combat and hand-to-hand fighting that Carter and June excelled in. the jean he put on were actually closer to what Black*Star wore, just formatted in the way of jeans.

June, he recalled from the glance he had when she was trying to kill him this morning, was wearing a red blouse, and underneath that she had a white tank top and tight skinny jeans. He had a sudden urge to tease her about not putting on a belt, but decided that would get him shot in history class.

"Seriously Carter, let's move! We have a mission!"

Carter paused as he yanked on his belt. He thought about what she had just said…he shrugged, dismissing the previous thought as he hurried to the kitchen for breakfast. June had resumed getting ready, and was currently fitting a shoe on as she scrambled up eggs and made bacon.

Carter grinned as he watched the small girl hurry from task to task, from eggs to bacon, to the toaster and back again, all the while doing something else like setting the table, fitting on a sock or shoe or packing a bag.

"So where's our mission at?" He asked her as he easily slipped in beside her and emptied the eggs onto a plate.

She scowled as she thought of the place, "South America, in the freakin jungle." She answered evenly.

"Sounds like fun, so what's the target and occasion?" He asked, snatching the toast out of the toaster and slipping one piece of it into his mouth.

"People have be disappearing from some of the local towns and Shinigami-sama believes it's because of a Pre-Kishin on the loose. He's sent us to round it up. Descriptions say it has the ability to sprout blades all along its body. Other than that it looks like a giant ape." June said, piling slices of juicy sizzling bacon onto a paper towel covered plate.

"Nice, you happy with what we've been training?" Carter asked, popping the burning hot bacon into his mouth.

"Enough to take a mission." June replied, filling up plastic cups full of orange juice nad placing them on the table.

They both sat down in a smooth fluid motion and started scarfing down the food. Naturally, June let carter have the toast as he knew it was his favorite and he would hate her or be depressed if he didn't get at least four slices of the delicacy a day.

Carter was smiling as he munched happily at the crispy yet chewy grain and cramming slices of bacon on forkfuls of eggs into his mouth. June was quickly but neatly eating eggs and taking bites of bacon as she glanced at the clock.

"Carter, we're gonna be late for the train." June said.

"Why are we taking a train?" He asked through a mouthful of food.

"Because I don't have a car or motorcycle like our teachers, duh." June replied, throwing him her best 'are you stupid' look.

"Yeah, but why are we taking a train? Don't you know that I own transportation?" He asked.

June's head snapped up as he said that, "What type?"

Carter smiled as he got up and walked to the front door of the apartment. He then stepped out onto the street and whistled as loud as he could. The piercing sound cut through the faint fog of the morning.

A second later two dark shapes appeared in the mist. Only a moment later two horses burst through the morning fog and stopped in front of them. June raised an eyebrow as carter walked up to the dark black horse, leaving the other brown horse beside it.

Carter then produced an apple and tossed it to the dark horse. A foot long tongue snapped out of its mouth, wrapped around the apple and swallowed it on one gulp. June dropped her fork as she watched the horse eat the apple.

"This is Smoke. He's one of the Shinigami-sama's trained horses, he's sort of a demon horse so to speak. The one next to him is Rose, she seems to like Smoke." Carter said to June as she ran out after him, the backpack slung over her shoulder.

"Um…"

Carter laughed at June's weariness of the horses. It was understandable; it happened the same with Jericho when carter introduced the two horses to him. Jericho had instead opted to drive his motorcycle while carter rode Smoke.

Carter placed another juicy red apple into June's hand, then he paused and switched it with a green one, "Rose likes the green apples, Smoke likes red apples." He explained. Then he pushed June over to the small little horse.

June stood awkwardly in front of the horse that came up only about two feet above her head. It was short, not like the horses June saw knights and warriors riding into battle in movies or books. Rose snorted and the black eyes turned to face her, looking her in the eyes as if to say _are you gonna feed me that or what?_

June then held her hand out and Rose turned her head to face her hand. Once again the long tongue slipped out of its mouth and snatched the apple up, although she noted that Rose seemed to crunch on the apple several times before swallowing as Smoke simply swallowed it whole.

Carter then swung onto Smoke's bareback and then snapped. A saddle appeared on Rose's back, although no reins. "These horses are trained to understand and follow orders from human tongue, although they can usually pick up where you're going just from observing your soul. So June, saddle up, we can't waste too much time. Smoke gets impatient."

June paused only a moment before slipping her left foot into the stirrup and swinging her other leg across the saddle and pulled herself into the saddle. Carter nodded; obviously she had ridden a horse before although she looked awkwardly around for something to hold on to. He smiled to himself, he'd let her figure that one out.

He leaned down and whispered into Smoke's ear, "South America, Jungle, look to June's soul for further reference. The small black horse swiveled its head over to look at June before setting off into a fast trot that quickly developed into a gallop. Behind him he saw Rose taking off after Smoke, he noted that June had eventually taken a firm, but light grip on Rose's mane, which on these horses, was actually correct.

He smiled as he saw the urban buildings and roads quickly disappear as Smoke accelerated to his normal speed, which was about as fast as a train. Behind him June was pressed close to Rose's neck, her hair whipping behind her because she chose to wear it down today.

"Shinigami horses can get up to about two hundred miles an hour and hold for an average of an hour and a half. It also depends on the breed, color, and how much they like you! "He called to June over the wind.

"How do you know so much!" She shouted back.

" One of my masters used to train them while he taught me! Smoke has been with me since he was a colt!" carter answered, smiling at the memory when his ten year old self had glared at the midnight black horse that at the time was barely taller than him.

Smoke snorted in agreement as June realized that they were currently running on water across the Gulf of Mexico. Then she realized that they were outrunning the stream of water erupting behind their horses.

"Carter! How are we outrunning water!" June shouted.

"Simply! Smoke loves me! Also, since I told you that breed and color can change the speed, Smoke can actually get up to about… supersonic speed! Rose is just following him!" Carter words whipped by her, letting her barely catch the sentence before the wind ripped it out of her ear.

June smiled as she pulled out her phone, the built in GPS locating that they'd arrive at the small village in two hours, tops. She put the phone away and then slowly clicked her heels against Rose's side. The small horse snorted as speed up slightly, catching up easily to Smoke and then pulled up parallel to him.

"So Carter, you sure you're ready?" June asked again.

The brown haired man smiled, his white teeth flashing in the early sunrise, "I'm always up for a challenge." He answered as he bent low over Smoke's sleek black form and speed up yet again.

June rolled her eyes, "He's insane." But she couldn't argue that he was ready.

~Back in Death City in a similar house hold~

"Corey!" Britney yelled as she flipped the omelet.

"Already packing!" Corey replied as he shoved six water bottles, rations, and a first aid kit into a duffle bag and slung it over his shoulder. "Ready!"

Britney nodded and gestured to put the bag next to the door before setting food on to plates. Corey threw the bag across the room and ran back into his room, a second later, Britney's silent question was answered as he came back in with his necklace. He smiled as he worked the small thin lock on the chain before slipping it around his neck and locking it again. The thin silver chain fell softly onto his chest and the small charm glint off the light.

Britney cast him a glance before continuing setting plates onto the table. After she finished she asked Corey the question she'd been dying to know since she meet him, "Why is that necklace so important to you anyway?"

Corey cast Britney a smile before sitting down at the table, "Tell you on the ride to the mission."

Britney snorted, "You always say that, then I forget or when I bring it up again, you avoid the question."

Corey smirked, "And you expected what from me? This necklace is half my past and all of my memories. This is my best friends life and my most precious item. It's not something to be taken lightly. If you really want to know then I'll tell you, but after the mission. I do not need you to be distracted during a distracted fitting a Kishin."

Britney shrugged as she took a bite of her veggie omelet. "Whatever, just remember that."

"I will, now hurry up or well miss the train." Corey answered, shoving nearly half the food into his mouth.

It was only two minutes later before the two burst out of the house, the door locking behind them as they raced down the streets of Death City to the train station. Jericho was waiting for them on his motorcycle at the corner. Corey smiled as he swung onto the back of motorcycle behind Jericho while Britney hopped into the side car beside Jason, who's head smacked the front of the cart, which confirmed that he had fainted. Jericho and Corey where now used to it, after all, they had taken him and Carter out on a 'guy's night out' for fun and ended up getting to be pretty good friends with Jason and found out that he had had a pretty bad experience with girls.

Britney on the other hand, spent half the ride there trying to find out what's wrong with him. And the other half trying to figure out what she did from Jericho and Corey who were laughing their heads off.

"Don't worry about it! Just hurry up and get on the train. See ya Jericho, thanks for the ride and tell Jason Britney's sorry for squishing him in the sidecar." Corey said, waving at the demon weapon before running up the 888 train station at the edge of Death City.

They barely made it on time to the train, and managed to find an empty cart. They sat down opposite each other as Corey crossed his arms and stared at his partner.

"So, how would you like to pass the," Corey glanced at his watch before continuing, "eight hours it takes to get to the target city of," he glanced at the mission file, "Charri?"

Britney paused, thinking about it before answering, " Why do you always answer for the guys who ask me out?"

The light in Corey's yellow eyes flashed as he answered calmly, "Because they just want your body and not you. They're perverted little brats that I would love to plant four new holes in the their heads with my fist."

"Not all of them, after all, some of them have talked to me times before." She answered.

"Have you ever noticed their stares."

"No why?"

Corey rolled his eyes, "Britney, you have a well-developed body, that J-I-G-G-L-E do you not think that people would stare? I mean, seriously?"

Britney blushed as Corey spoke, "I'm not that big…"

"Look, I really don't like this topic as it's awkward, so back to the retarded guys that ask you out." Corey said, glancing out the window to hide the slight blush on his face.

"Okay, so why don't you like any of the guys?"

"Because… you're…It's…I…" Corey stuttered, throwing his hands up in disgust as he struggled forming a sentence. Finally somewhat in defeat, he pulled the 'Partner Card' ," It's because you're my partner and I don't want you to get hurt."

"Aww!" Britney smiled. "You're so sweet!" He voice rising a pitch.

"You know that was an excuse don't you."

"Yes."

"Joy."

"So really why?"

"I'd rather talk about my necklace."

"Okay, then tell me about you're necklace."

"I said after the mission."

"Would you rather talk about the current subject?"

"Not particularly."

"Necklace it is."

"No, backstory on who I got it from."

"Isn't that the same thing?" She asked, her eyebrow rising slightly in question.

"No, this was before I got the necklace." Corey explained.

"So…childhood story?"

Corey sighed in defeat, "Yeah, sure, whatever."

Britney smiled and crossed her legs, the train making quick progress across country to destination. Corey looked ut of the window for a couple minutes before he began, calling up sour memories that he knew would bring up pleasant dreams.

" I only had one childhood friend when I was younger, his name was Simon. He was four years older than me, and I was seven. He was closer to a brother. But anyway, I ran away from home, he did too, and we lived in an old abandon hotel. We used to practice a bit there, muscle training that was really wrestling or fist fights. It was fun. And it was around that time that I first found out I was a weapon. Simon, well, he was a excellent meister, better than you Brit. But we used to hunt some Pre-Kishin in the area. But I'm going down a sad path, back to Simon." Corey took a small pause and Britney knew instantly from the waver in his soul length and the lowness of his music that he had a sad flashback to that time.

"Simon as I told you was an excellent meister even at the age of eleven, he might have been our 'Stein' as the teachers say. But anyway, he had a brilliant mind and the muscle to back it up. It wasn't that he was the strongest, or the toughest, or even the smartest. It was simply because he had the ability to improvise and the ability to find hope to go on in the roughest situations. He had a knack for that." Corey let out a bitter laugh as he said that. "This necklace was his, he gave it to me," Corey's hand wrapped around the small set of black and white wings attached to the sliver chain.

Then Corey's solemn, cold mask broke and a set of tears rolled down his face. Britney was across the room and patting his back before the first tear hit the floor. Then Corey let out another dry laugh.

"Sorry Brit…sometimes…sometimes memories are powerful things, and sometimes they hurt, no matter how many years." Corey said in a apologetic tone.

"Corey it's fine, after knowing you for the past seven years, I know your quirks, you habits, you likes, your hates, the foods you love and the songs on your I-pod. And I know how much you care about your friends. You and your current best friend are the exact same on that count." Britney said, a small smile on her lips.

Now it was Corey's turn to smile then he let out a small chocked laugh, "Yeah, hehe, yeah, you're completely right on that count. Me and Carter both love and protect our friends."

Britney nudged him, "Now come on, let's catch some Z's we have an eight hour ride to Charri, and we only got three hours of sleep last night thanks to the dishes."

Corey smiled as he leaned back, laying out on the cushion, his legs bent slightly as the train compartment was a bit too small for his height. Britney smiled and was about to lay down on her own side when a firm hand grabbed her hand.

"And where do you think you're doing?" Corey asked smugly.

Britney blinked, "To sleep."

"right, because a cold train cushion is sooo much more comfortable than you're partner's chest. Yeah right, you can lay on me. I know you like it." Corey said smiling as he yanked Britney across the car the wrist and pulling her onto his lap.

"Corey? Is this something Carter bet on?" Britney asked.

"No comment."

"How much.

Corey though about it before answering," Tuoba eno derdnuh ni hsac."

Britney smiled, Corey didn't know it yet, but the little code they had on their words when Carter and Corey talked for fun was already figured out. "Ho yllear."

Corey blinked, completely taken off guard, "Ha tihs"

Britney smiled na stuck her tongue out, "Too bad for you. Looks like you're gonna lose the bet."

"Nah, looks like I won." Corey answered, smiling.

Britney rolled her eyes.

~With Jericho~

The motorcycle whined under him, the six cylinder engine propelling the heavey duty motorcycle along with relative easy as it rode over the open desert. Beside him Jason was asleep in the sidecar. Jericho smiled as he looked at his small partner.

Jason was slightly muscular, but if used correctly, that small built would be plenty to wield the black katana Jericho turned into. And even though the first time they had practiced had scared the shit out of Jericho, he now understood Jason better.

When they first touched with Jericho in weapon form, Jason had a violent seizure like attack until he synchronized with Jericho's soul. Then his soul expanded to match with Jericho's what left even Jason himself clueless what during the seizure, he was on fire, with blue and black flames dancing across his cloths. Jericho knew what it was, but everyone else was left speechless. Jason had assured Jericho that the weapon rejection would only happen once, and so far, he had been right. For the whole week that they had been practicing, Jason hadn't shook or caught on fire yet.

Jericho sighed and flexed his left hand. The slightly pale skin giving not even the slightest reflection of the laughing sun directly above him. Jericho sighed. He could feel the demon. It was clawing at everything now. It was getting worse, but he hoped he could hold it in long enough. It was only a matter of time. And how much time he had, he didn't know. But judging from the flames Jason had on him during the rejection and the billowing black cloak that he knew from past experience was made of black fire he suddenly had on him, he didn't think that he'd have too much time left.

He sighed, so much trouble.

**Sorry guys, I got… well…lazy as all get out and I had exams so, joy. Anyway, I hope this chapter satisfied all and Rei is very pissed at me that she had no stage time. But I'm hoping that she'll have not burned me to the stake by the next chapter publishing. Anywho…any question just leave them in reviews and good day mates!**


	5. Mission Time

**So people, I guess I have to update again don't I? Heh, so much joy. Anyway I know you aint here for the rambling, so ENJOY CHAPTER 4~!**

**Chapter 4**

**Mission Time**

June woke with a start as Rose stopped next to Smoke, who she noticed now was missing a rider. She grumbled something that was quickly lost in the sound of the jungle as she slipped from her saddle onto the ground. She groaned and got up, brushing the dirt off her back as she stood up.

"Carter~!" June shouted, stretching out each letter of his name as she called his name into the dense jungle.

There was a ruffle of leaves before his head popped out from a tree next to her. He blinked before taking a bite out of a fruit that June guessed was either a mango or a weird fruit she never heard of.

"Yes?" He asked, swallowing with slight difficulty as gravity tried to hinder his throat from delivering food. Sometimes he hated eating upside-down.

"Just wondering where you were." June said, gesturing that he could wander a little.

Carter grunted before continuing to eat his mango thingy. He swung off the tree branch his foot was one, flipped once and landed gracefully crouched beside Smoke. June snorted as she looked around the small clearing they were in.

"The Pre-Kishin near here?" June asked.

"Nah, He's still a good mile off, you ready? We can go at a slow trot from here and let you look around some." Carter said, smiling as he remembered June complaining about almost falling off Rose when they took a turn.

"Okay, that'll be nice." June said, smiling as she ran to Rose and jumped up into the saddle.

Carter snorted, he bet Britney couldn't do that; he'd have to brag about his meister to Corey later. He clicked his tongue and Smoke let out a puff of hot air before setting off at a slow trot, which was close to a regular horses gallop.

June rolled her eyes, she'd have to get accustom to Shinigami horses. Rose turned her head, looking into June's cool blue eyes with the horse's own black eyes. Rose seemed to ask _So you're gonna be riding me regularly?_

"Yes Rose, I am." June sighed causing Carter to cast a smirk at her. "What? You don't talk to Smoke some?" She said, turning to look in the opposite direction.

"No no, just usually Smoke doesn't ask too many questions unless he knows we can chat, ain't that right Smoke." Carter said, his smirk growing slightly as he rubbed his horse's neck.

June rolled her eyes but continued to stubbornly look the other way to ignore her partner. Carter, noticing this snorted with mid amusement. Then he slowly pulled Smoke closer to Rose and his meister.

"Something on your mind?" Carter whispered into her ear.

June jumped a startled cry on her lips as Carter began laughing. June crossed her arms over her chest and turned her head up and away. Carter continued laughing and Smoke started making a noise that wasn't a whine, or a snort. June then realized that the horse shared the same amusement with messing with her. She snapped to glare at the horse.

"That's not funny!" She snapped.

Carter smiled and ignored her, instead looked around before clicking his tongue once more, causing Smoke to start a faster gait. June huffed as she knew their argument was over, and he had won. A mental tally mark on a chalkboard flashed through her mind as she thought about it. June: 18 Carter: 36. She hated losing at arguments.

"It's close." Carter muttered as he stood up in the saddle, already feeling the tingling in his flesh.

June heard a loud snap to her left, off the small trail and she slicked her heels lightly against Rose's side. The horse snorted, acknowledging the movement and tensed.

The Pre-Kishin roared out of the jungle, the green and yellow colors of its skin blending quite well with the back ground. Attached to his arms where long vines that, according to the reports, strangled the victims until they died, then it would eat their soul.

"Carter!" June yelled out as Rose scampered away and wheeled around in the practice maneuver.

Carter jumped from Smoke's back, the flesh tingled strongly as he changed into weapon form. He decided to us the regular classification rather than something fancy. June let out a small grunt as he some-what familiar weight was pulled out of the air and set on her shoulder.

The currently shining weapon flashed once before Carter's soul settled back down, the weapon form complete. He smiled from the weapon's blade as he watches his meister handle his usually heavy weight with ease. It was nice to not feel in the way.

June's grip on the two-handed hilt tightened slightly as she moved her legs un and settled into a crouch in Rose's saddle. The grey frame of Carter's weapon form proving a slightly uncomfortable weight on her neck. The large five foot long blade was perfectly balanced, and the weight nothing to her even though she knew she needed a bit more muscle training if she wanted to wield it for over an hour easily.

The Pre-Kishin, now up after it ran into and knocked over a tree shook its head and roared once more. It's looked somewhere between a man and a tiger, standing on all fours, but having the body of a man. June dismissed the musing as she prepared her muscles.

The Pre-Kishin sprang, letting out another ear-piercing roar from its mouth before launching itself into the air at Rose. Rose however, did something completely out of the ordinary for a horse. She duck, crouching down easily and letting the Pre-Kishin soar over her head. June on the other hand, jumped letting the monster fly harmlessly below her boot clad feet.

She landed, bending her knees to absorb the impact of the eight foot fall (Death the Kid would be ecstatic) as she wheeled around in the damp earth to face the monster who had managed to land mostly in pace and run in a circle to keep momentum.

The wide blade of her weapon was extended out to her right, her hands keeping the blade steady as she waited patiently for her time to strike. One… the monster ran forward…Two… Vines were spread out around her feet… Three... It was closing in and the vines were rustling…Four.

"Now!" She barked and she stepped forward, missing the vines as they wrapped around empty space and the Kishin called up several more vines to defend.

It was useless however as the big blade of the claymore came alive in her hands as he swung it. Her hands tightened around the cloth wrapped grip as she met the resistance of the vines and cut through it. The Pre-Kishin gave one more roar, but it was a roar of desperation as the wide blade cut into its flesh and killed it.

June smiled as she straightened up; wielding a five foot claymore, not including handle length was hard work. The single-blade claymore was completely straight before it tapered of sharply on one edge to create the point. The blade had a hole about two feet from the cross guard June whipped the sword around, snatching the soul out of the air and into the hole in one go as her partner absorbed the soul.

Then she simply threw the blade up into the air, letting Carter turn back to his human form and land in the wet dirt on his feet.

He cast a smile, "Nice job, was I too much weight to handle? We could do it with the other one next time." He said.

She shook her head, "No problem, just perfectly fine for me. Shall we head back?"

Carter grinned, "Geez, short, sweet and to the point like always I see."

June shrugged as she walked beside her partner. She guessed she had to give him credit, he was a cool weapon.

~*~With~*~Corey~*~

Corey grunted as he picked up the duffle bag and slung it over his shoulder. Britney smiled, her hands in the pockets of her jeans. She could see the large muscles underneath his shirt adjusting slightly as they sorted out the minimal amount needed to carry the load. She smiled.

"Enjoying yourself there?" Corey asked as he started walking off down the road of the semi-abandon city.

"What are you talking about?" Britney asked, confused as she ran up beside him.

"Looked like you were enjoy watching me work. I was just asking if you enjoy staring at me like a hypnotized fangirl." Corey replied, smiling as he pulled out his other wireless headphone and tossed it behind him to Britney.

"Shut up." Britney muttered a light blush on her cheeks as she slipped in the earphone.

She blinked and cast him a questionate look and gestured as the earphone. He smiled and stuck his tongue out at her before returning to looking around. She sighed, she never thought she'd hear All I Ever Wanted by Basshunter on his IPod.

"Smiling, smiling." He muttered as he listening to the beat.

The soulwave length took only a second of it to pulse to the beat. IN the distance he heard a scraping. He smiled and slipped his hand into his pocket and silently changed the song. As the earphones were quiet for one second before they came alive again with the rhythm and beat of Survive by Sick Puppies.

"Let's go!" He shouted, his weapon form leaping out of his skin as he jumped backwards. The twin shortswords in the air for only a moment before Britney snatched them out of the air and whipped around blocked the attack.

The sword stopped within an inch of her face, but she didn't flinch. She instead peered around the blade and confirmed her target. The black suit was all she needed to know that this was the Pre-Kishin.

"Your soul is mine." She said as she jumped back and threw one of the shortswords past him. The Pre-Kishin ignored it and started to step forward.

She jerked the other sword in her hand slightly and the chain turned around, snaking up the Kishin's body. She smiled as she knew the work was done and with no injuries. "Guillotine."

The shortsword snapped around sharply as it ran out of chain, the Pre-Kishin not even able to cry out as the blade sliced through its neck. Corey grunted as he changed back into human and picked up the juicy soul. He then pulled out his I-pod and pressed the soul into it. It squished against it before slipping easily into the device which was his way of eating souls.

"I always knew you loved music so much it was in your soul," Britney joked as she came up behind her partner.

"You were right."

~*~With~*~Jericho~*~

"Jason!" Jericho shouted over the roar of the engine as they pulled away from the train station.

Jason's head jerked up slightly to reveal a red mark, no doubt from his head slamming into the side cart when he fainted. Jericho rolled his eyes. Jason was a handful sometimes. Jericho let out a quiet groan as he focused on the road ahead.

He didn't need his blood to be boiling when they still have a bit to go to the scene. He sighed. He felt sorry for Jason. And Corey, Carter, June, Britney…maybe Death. He cracked his neck, his eyes flashing a reflective black from the original dull color. The cloak flickered behind him, the flames sometimes rolling off slightly and fading into wisps of gray smoke. At least he still had some time.

He spotted the town up ahead about a mile or so and he veered slightly to the left to the 'rough' part of town. The reports had been going off at ridiculously high rates. Murders, missing persons, kidnappings, all of these related to a gang of Kishin with unusually high power. Investigation was provided quickly and the mission had appeared on the board with a 'New" and 'Dangerous' label. Both which attracted him to the job.

He needed a burn-off. Literally, he needed to flat out burn off every ounce of power he had at this moment. He stretched his fingers, the long digit's muscles, ligaments, joints tensing as he let out a stream of flames of his fingers. Despite the small amount, it did wonders from his mental stress as the thing continued to claw its way out, the built up pressure imploding imaginary gaskets in his mind.

He did this three more times until he could finally focus without twitching slightly. By this time, Jason had started to come to, and Jericho has almost made it into the streets of the city. The Kishin didn't worry about the dark, they looked normal enough, and they were scary enough that avoid any contact with forces, gangs, or even thugs looking for a fun fight.

Jericho nudged Jason, who gave a grunt and sat up slightly before slumping backwards in the seat and giving Jericho a glare.

"She's sitting with you." Jason said tersely.

Jericho shrugged a smile creeping across his face, "Not my fault you faint."

Jason looked away in embarrassment, "Come on, you know I have bad experiences."

"Yeah, all the guys do, now shut up and look for a ridiculously fat guy with a red Mohawk." Jericho instructed, a slight laugh breaking up his sentence after the first word.

Jason nodded, his eyes slowly scanning the crowds of people walking down the street. It didn't take long for the young meister to pick out the large, red mow hawk bobbing as its owner walked down the street.

"Jericho, think I see the target, 10 o'clock." Jason said, tilting his head.

Jericho tilted his head up slightly, his sign that he heard, "Yeah, that's our man, now were are his goons. Three others, On has a green mow hawk, usually sticks close by, next is his muscleman, large, 'bout 8 feet, think Corey's biceps times four. Last is usually at the base." Jericho said as he kept an eye on the leader.

According to the reports, the leader didn't usually fight, It was either greenie, or muscles that fought. Muscles had the muscles while greenie had a giant boomerang. Jericho quickly spotted the flamboyant green hairdo as the second gang member was found fifteen paces behind the leader.

"Ready Jas?" Jericho asked as he pulled the motorcycle to a stop at the end of the sidewalk in the direction gang members were walking in.

"Always." Jason answered as Jericho transformed.

Jericho had the brief feeling of his skin rippling away, but it was closer to a burning sensation, as if it was burning away like paper in a fireplace. He pushed the thoughts away as Jason caught the black and red hilt in his hands. The smooth hilt wrapped in a thick cloth and studded with red bits to increase grips. The almost four foot blade was slim, having no extra weight, only a thin, sleek, black blade. The blade radiated a thin amount of heat within an inch of the blade.

"Let's eat some souls!" Jericho said, smiling in the reflection of the blade.

Jason kicked off the side of the motorcycle, the bike barely rocking as the heavy metal kickstand took it with ease. Jason however had propelled him above the heads of many people. The leader saw him coming and he gestured, the green haired rushing up behind him.

Jason swung the katana, the blade whipping through the Kishin's nose and clean through his head. Jason landed lightly on the ground and held the sword up to ward off any attacks coming. Finding none he glanced up and found the leader running down the street.

"Oh no you're not!" Jason shouted as he took off running down the street.

Half-way to the leader, the brick wall exploded, shards of red stone rained down and dust filled the air around them. Jason gave a hoarse yell as he was thrown backwards, skidding backwards on his back.

"Careful, this is Muscles!" Jericho shouted to Jason.

"Got it." Jason said as he stood up.

The hulking mass was actually the 8 foot tall green (yes classic) giant with biceps that were actually closer to six times Corey's as they were probably as thick around as Jason's waist. Jason groaned.

Jason rolled to the side as the first slammed into the pavement, cracking it. He quickly turned the roll into a slash as he came back onto his feet. The cut was shallow, but cut the tendon in his wrist. Jason smiled and dashed ahead, the katana blade dancing with blue and black flames as he raced to its chest before it could recover.

The blade carving gashes into its skin before he whipped the sword around and plunged it into its chest. Muscles died, his skin unraveling to reveal the soul which Jericho quickly ate as Jason ran by following the boss.

"Jason don't loss him!" Jericho shouted from the blade.

Jason grunted in acknowledged him as he raced after the Pre-Kishin. He chased him down the street and around the corner before Jason saw the flicker of movement at the end of the street at the door of a actually well maintained house. Jason blinked, slightly confused before he ran up to the house.

"Um...I thought that the houses were always horribly rundown in this story…" Jason muttered.

**I thought I'd be creative, shut up and go in.** A voice from above answered casually.

Jason shrugged and kicked in the front door into the lobby of the house. He scanned the room. The upstairs had a stair case leading to it, but he checked that adjacent rooms first and found them clean. He locked the backdoor and then broke the key hole off. He returned to the lobby and slowly walked up.

"On the left third doorway to the right." Jericho answered.

Jason paused, "And you know that how?"

Jericho was about to explain before he dismissed it, "One's in that room, now I said nothing."

Jason opened his mouth to argue, but hurried up the stairs before the Pre-Kishin escaped out a window or something. The door which Jericho noted was Maplewood just before Jason sliced it to pieces, had a certain very surprised Pre-Kishin hiding behind who was now a soul. Jason found nothing else other than a couple empty dressers.

He backed out of the room and raced about the house, opening and closing practically every door that wasn't a closet until he came to one final door. It was one of the bedroom he guessed. The door was locked, strengthening his idea this was the final one. Jericho twitched in anticipation. Flames lit on the sword, startling Jason some. The door was dealt with the same manner as the other one, although this one was mahogany which Jericho was sad they did not take later.

"Boss Marcus, your soul belongs to me!" Jason shouted through the smoking wreckage of the door and found the Kishin almost out the window.

The Kishin yelped and jumped out, plummeting the 14 feet out of the second story-building onto the ground with a slight grunt. He looked back before started down the street in a ground-eating jog as he found Jason was hesitant to jump out after him.

"Jason, point the blade at him." Jericho said suddenly.

Jason hesitated before leveling the blade as Jericho said, the tip on the Kishin's head. Jericho felt the familiar surge of power as the flames leapt from the blade in a blazing hot wave, the wave of flames covered the distance within seconds as if someone has filled it with lighter fluid. The Kishin didn't even have time to think as the blue and black flames swallowed it up and fried it to a crisp. The soul wasn't spared as Jericho pulled the soul through the flames into his mouth. He smiled, energy released and a soul? Perfect.

"Mission Complete, let's go." Jericho said as Jason let the hilt slip lightly out of his fingers as Jericho turned back into his human form.

Jason smiled and held up his hand, Jericho looked at it for a second before he smirked and hi-fived him, "Nice work partner!" They picked up the two souls they didn't retrieve earlier.

Then they picked up Jericho's motorcycle, the black and red bike sometimes had to see in the night had them searching for a bit before Jericho finally saw it down the street. After that slight failure, they drove back to Death City for a good night's sleep, and hopefully, no dark dreams for Jericho.

**Hey sorry guys for the slow as Death the Kid symmetrical breakdown without Liz or Patty. Hehe, annnyyway.. so I decided against separate chapter for each mission simply because of that… anywho. Hoe you enjoy and Rei is trying to eat my soul. Yay! *suddenly drops dead Rei stands up holding up a bright blue soul with a pen jabbed in the center and headphones on* "Hehe mine" **


	6. Rei

**NEXT CHAPPIE! YAHOOOO! Wait… didn't Rei eat my soul…*dies* "Yup, so I guess I'll be doing stuff since he's dead. Yeah…anyway chapter is beginning now and I finally hopefully get to kill poker boy!"**

**Chapter 5**

**Rei**

It was the morning after the everyone got home, they all met at the coffee shop, which Corey believe was Deathbucks and was proven right and won yet another bet with Carter. They had all gathered around, drinking lattes and discussing the missions with mild interest before the boys and girls drifted off into separate conversations.

"Carter, you own me." Corey said with a smirk, holding out his hand.

"What was the bet?" Carter asked, clearly confused.

"If Britney would fall asleep on the same bench as me on the train." Corey answered.

Carter gave a look of disgust and disappointment before handing Corey the agreed amount, "Anything else while I still have my wallet out?"

"Pay for you coffee." Jericho answered flatly as he slurped his own drink.

"I thought you were treat?" Carter smiled, a sweatdrop appearing on the back of his head.

Jericho cast him a glance that aid, _When am I _that_ nice?___Carter grumbled something before handing him $2.25

Jason perked up at this point as he had his morning coffee, "So how'd you guys sleep?"

"Horrible." The music freak answered.

"Like Death when something in his house is a centimeter off." Carter answered.

"Nightmares." Jericho answered.

Jason slumped in his chair, "Sorry I asked.

"Don't worry about it." They said in union.

On the other end of the table, Britney and June were discussing something about their partners.

"Hey Carter, what are they saying?" Corey asked, jerking his thumb at them.

Said person glanced at the girls lips before answering, "-but he's got a better weight!' 'Yeah, but I'd think that something smaller would suit someone with such a small stature.' 'You're short too.' 'Yeah, but I'm at least an inch or two taller that you and my shoulders are wider.'"

"Ah, comparing weapons." Jericho nodded.

"Carter don't you have different forms?" Corey asked.

Carter blinked, "Yeah I can turn into a broadsword, a bow and occasionally a longsword. Why?"

Corey shrugged, "Just curious."

Jason stood up, "Yeah guys sorry I gotta go, need to pick up something meet you back at the house Jericho." He waved and grabbed his coffee before running out the store.

Jericho waved and returned to slowly sipping his coffee as he subconsciously kept everyone in the room's coffee slightly hotter than room temperature. It was slightly better this morning after he decided to breath a jet of flames out the window and scare the ever living crap out of the neighbors this morning. And use do everything he could with his fire, stove, cooking, burning plaque off his teeth (very delicate work).

"So, Corey how many souls do you have?" Carter finally asked.

Corey thought about it for a second, "Something like…77 I think."

Carter nodded and smiled, "I got 80 already."

Jericho grunted and got up and walked to the door. He needed some air. He opened that door and was greeted with a black sneaker bottom in the face. He gave a small noise that was either pain or surprised as he was sent crashing backwards into the counter.

"Ouch." He said, getting up and examining his assailant.

She was shorter than him, which he expected somewhat and had black hair and a blue streak through her hair. It took only a moment for him to realize she was the girl he bumped into in the hallway. He pointed and was about to open his mouth when he drove he sneaker into his chest. He coughed and grabbed her shoe.

"Not," He said, "nice," and threw he leg off to his right, causing her to give a slight yelp as she fell and he caught her.

He stood up and grunted as she punched his shoulder and looked away from him. He noticed that on the front of her shirt the was an angel wing imprint which reminded him of Corey's necklace. He smiled.

"So Miss Beat-the-crap-out-of-me. What's your name?"

She turned to look at him, "Rei."

"So why do you wish to kill me?" Jericho asked, setting her down onto the ground.

"You bumped into me in the hall. So I was superior and dropkicked you in the face." She answered.

Jericho sighed. He glanced up and down and once again sighed. She was wearing a buttoned up collared shirt and army green capris. He noted that the pants also had more pockets than most. He frowned as he looked at the shirt. It was an average white button up shirt.

"Finished staring perv?" Rei asked, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Yeah, and not the best move if you want to avoid attention." Jericho said before her walked back to join Carter and Corey who had settled onto a argument on game, music, video, trailer and movie lines.

"That's racist!" Carter snapped.

"You're racist." Corey replied.

"I reject your reality and substitute my own."

"Show me how to lie you're getting better all the time."

They sighed and set their heads down in boredom as they finally after five minutes of rapid fire quotes, they had run out of lines. Rei sat down across from Jericho, with Carter on her right and Corey to her left and her back to the window.

"Guys! Let's GOOOOOOOOO!" June shouted from the door.

"But I just sat down again." Jericho complained.

"Deal with it." The entire group (including Rei) said.

While Jericho pouted, the girls had somehow absorbed Rei into a group and where currently carrying on a conversation with the slightly confused girl.

"So what do you like?" That was Britney.

"I like vid-"

"What's your favorite place to visit?"

"What do you like to do in spare time?"

"Stop!" Rin snapped and the girls stopped. "Now then, I like video games, fighting, I draw a lot and I do gymnastics."

"Gymnastics" June asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes." Rei said.

June shrugged and let Britney and Rei do the talking and instead fell back a little to walk beside her partner.

"I swear, funniest thing to do ever." Carter said.

"I don't think we can buy or get that much wrapping paper though." Corey muttered.

"Let's just steal some." Jericho said.

"Jericho we've had this talk before." Corey growled.

Jericho sighed and drooped his head as they actually indeed had had this conversation before. Corey snorted a bit in amusement, something June never knew he did. He had a small smirk on his face. What she didn't know was the song he was listening to. Ironically, it was probably a good thing she didn't or Carter would have had her stab him with a stiletto.

Carter leaned his head down and rest it on June's head. He inhaled the smell of her hair and frowned and raised his eyebrow. He sighed.

"Why were you using my shampoo?" He asked bluntly.

Jericho and Corey both smirked as June blushed, the small pink on her cheeks that Carter (not that he'd tell anyone) made him smile anytime. Including the time he fell off Smoke onto pavement as they raced around Death City to get here.

June squirmed a bit, "Because I was all out of my shampoo." She explained.

"No you weren't."

"Yes I was."

"If I recall correctly, a day ago it was still half-full." Carter said.

June simply fell silent, deciding to not give him the answer he wanted, nor the satisfaction of winning yet another argument. The walk on in silence before Corey let out a odd sound and doubled over. Jericho turned to look, but Carter and June ignored him. Jericho however found out exactly why Corey was doubled over snickering.

Corey's I-pod had decided to drift into 'Britney's' section and was now playing Kiss the Girl by Ashley Tisdale. Thankfully for Corey, Jericho didn't even question why that song was on his I-pod nor why he was listening to it. They could barely stop themselves from flat out falling over on the ground and rolling down the steps they just climbed.

"Come….on…let's…" Jericho couldn't finish his sentence because he was laughing to hard.

"Let's go!" Corey wheezed after he ran out of air for laughing.

After finally catching up, they found that the group had congealed into one single group and joined it. Corey hung his arm over Britney's shoulder and slouched slightly to lean on her while Jericho simply went in favor of trying not of get killed. He wrapped his arms around Rei's waist and held her arms by her side and put his head on her shoulder. What he didn't see coming was the flip.

Rei tensed and wrapped one of her legs around his ankle and then levered him up and over her sending hims painfully onto the pavement. Jericho grimaced and glared a bit at Rei. He stood up and walked back over to her.

"Again not nice." He said.

Everyone else however was snickering at the exchange. Jericho ignored them, Rei was a little nervous at the attention, but managed not to show it. They continued moving along, with Carter and June breaking up to go train some more and then fifteen minutes later, Jericho and Rei walking away to go pick up Jason. Jason would no doubt faint or get dropkick…or both…

"So, what's up." Corey asked his partner as they sat down to overlook Death City.

"Nothing, same as usual, wouldn't you know if something was wrong?" Britney asked, smirking a bit.

Corey shrugged, "You don't always tell me everything."

"Like?"

"Boyfriends, dates, trouble you get into, etc." Corey answered.

"Now how could I have a boyfriend if you scare the all way?" Britney asked, raising an eyebrow.

Corey snorted, and turned to her. "Friday, 6:00 you left and didn't get back home till 9:30. Doesn't take that long to pick up a book as you said."

Britney's head drooped as she knew she'd been caught. "He's nice though! And he looks me in the eyes so ha!"

Corey sighed and sat down. Music slightly overlapped into the cool morning air from his headphones as he listening to the song for a bit. Finally he replied, "Do you like him?"

"Yeah." Britney said.

"Does he make you happy?" Corey asked.

"Of course he does."

Corey sighed again and jumped up on the railing and sat down, his legs dangling over the edge as he looked at the rising sun. "Then I'm fine with him, just tell me when you going out would ya? It sucks going to sleep with an empty stomach." He complained.

Britney rolled her eyes. "Okay, and I'll tell you when we're going out and I might bring back food for you. Happy?"

Corey smirked, "I guess, what's his name and no I will not kill or maul him half-to death." _Only a quarter of the way._ He thought a devious smile flickering across his lips.

"Aaron."

Corey remembering the kid instantly, light brown hair, similar to June's but lighter, guess it would be a dirty blonde. Green eyes, and maybe an inch or two shorter than him. Corey shrugged, "He seemed nice enough. Anyway I'mma go train with Carter and them, meet you at the house." With that he slipped over the edge.

Britney rolled her eyes as she heard the familiar grating as Corey slide down the wall, knuckle spikes jabbed into the stone as he descended. Kidd would usually didn't mind as long as Corey made the marks symmetrical.

"YAHOOOOO!" Corey shouted as the wind whipped at his clothes. His I-pod changed from the morning routine to the regular playlist and Breaking the Habit by Linkin Park came on. He smiled as the usual adrenaline rush hit him when he switched to the regular playlist.

However this was more than his original shuffle, this was his favorite day because this was his favorite playlist. Inside Corey's I-pod he has over three thousand songs, of that he only listens to one thousand. And because of that one thousand he made a special shuffle. He calls it skip shuffle mix. Britney called it a screwy I-pod. He nodded as the songs mixed and skipped between each other. Each song playing for about thirty seconds before it switched again.

He said she said came on and he stopped the mix and let I play through as he ran. The energetic beat of the song pumped through his veins, literally, his heart was actually beating along to the beat. Weirdo.

Corey jumped the fence around the woods as he met Carter and June in the center. Britney like to watch, but today she had to study for the test tomorrow in History class. He smiled as he walked around, his heel scrapping a ring in the dirt. He jumped in, and June did as well, the claymore resting on her shoulder.

This is how Wednesday's should be spent Corey decided, spending it catching up with friends and training with your best friends.

**Sorry for the kinda shortish chapter nad the crappy ending of it. I had intended for it to last longer and have more screen time of Rei nad Jericho, but it was a late update as is and the next one was a short on the ….you heard nothing. Anyway, tell me if Rei or Jason was off a little (too lazy to memorize user names) and sorry of the crappy ending again!**


	7. Backstories

"**Hey guys continuing on. I let the poor writer guy have his soul back to write this story. And then I'm going to eat it when he finishes this story." Thank you Rei. *typing away because Rei has Jericho (weapon form) at my neck* Please help me T^T**

**Backstories**

Britney glanced at the door before quickly returning to chopping carrots once she spotted the messy, spiky blue hair of her partner walking into the door. It was confirmed at the jingle of his necklace as he slumped over the table, the wings hitting the wooden table.

"So Corey, how'd the sparring go?" Britney asked.

Corey shrugged and slumped back in his chair, "June's getting better, she can weild Carter and his fat blade for a bit longer."

"Anything else?"

Corey shrugged, " Think my headphones might be going bad and I may or may not need to polish my blades."

Britney nodded, the usual, Corey liked to have his blade shining slightly, even if he wasn't a clean freak, it annoyed him when there was a scuff or a scratch on his edge. She'd have to do that later tonight, right now she wanted juicy stories that he had been holding out of her.

"So tell me about your necklace." She said, sitting down on the table.

"No."

"You promised!" Britney whined.

"No."

"But you said you'd tell me after the mission and it's after the mission AND a day's rest from it!" she complained.

"…No." Corey said.

"Yes or I well get June to kill you."

"With high heels or her fist?"

"Both."

"Noted I can call Carter."

"And Rei."

"Jericho"

"Stein"

"… I hope you die by a screw in the head." Corey muttered as he sat down on the table.

Corey fidgeted of a moment before he reached around his neck nad took off the necklace. The set of wings jingling slightly as it was set on the table. He stared at it, his eyes burning into the metal until he sighed and looked up into the fan, spinning and spinning nad then spinning over again.

"The necklace is from my last partner. The chain is sterling silver and the wings are steel. It was a family heirloom of his. It was supposed to be given to his girlfriend when he got old enough to have one," Corey paused and scratched his chin, "Although in hindsight he probably didn't care he'd still would have kept it."

"It's cool looking." Britney complimented.

"Yeah, and I think that's what triggered my weapon blood. The wings and the chain." Corey smiled. "Yeah, caused I wanted to feel free and fly away from my troubles." He smirked then waved his hand frantically, "But I'm getting off track here, don't have time for the sad moment right now, anyway, once I discovered I have weapon blood, I told my best friend which is guess who?" Corey gestured a Britney.

"Simon?"

"Correct, so we messed around with the power, playing in the chains I could make and slicing apples with the blades." Corey smiled as if reminiscing in a memory. Then his face grew daunt, "then that day came. Kishin wrecked my home; it was a gang of them. Simon and I where outside in the tree house my dad had built. We saw the fires, we knew to stay away. And so we did, we thought that everyone would be fine… They weren't. Kishin took over the town and the humans that survived were hunted like cattle, they were chased down and eaten, only allowed to live of a future meal some other night.

"That's horrible!"

"That's exactly what Simon thought. So he decided to change that." Corey snorted, "Stupid kids we were back then. No training, no thought process of the consequences, nothing we just winged it." Corey's face twisted with rage, " But we were just kids, so we barely made it. I was seven at the time…Simon was eight. And when we found that Simon had meister blood. We did what he wanted. He fought." Corey dropped his head onto the table, his eyes burned.

"It was the second night we went 'hunting' caught us by surprise. He had no time to move. It just…happened. I was left in shock, still in weapon form which at that time, was barely more than a dagger on a rope. The Kishin fled, Simon had somehow managed to slice something important I don't know. I didn't care. I just managed to transform and crawl next to him."

Corey paused, a shutter racking his body as he remembered the memory. Britney pressed her hand not his shoulder. Corey sucked in a breath, it coming out ragged and strained. Britney got up and hugged him from behind.

Corey shuddered again, but continued talking, "Simon was alive, only his chest had a massive gash, double cross on his chest. Blood was dripping from his mouth, I think he had a slashed lung. He said…'See ya Mus' then he handed me this." Corey gestured at the necklace. "Then he died…no famous last words…just…see ya Mus."

"Wait, wait, wait, back up, Mus?"

"Yeah cause I was always listening to music even back then." Corey smiled.

"Can I call you that?" Britney asked, finally finding a fitting nickname for him.

Corey shot her a glance, "Only in private."

She shrugged and smiled. "So now I have a nickname for you…but only in private?"

Corey nodded, "Makes sense to me."

Britney sighed and put her hands on her hips as she stood back up, "Well I need a name for you that's not in private!" She whined.

Corey shrugged, his worries currently forgotten and his fears left in the dust. "Well, you're creative, so is June, ask her. Maybe consult Rei too. But what my nickname is depends on what you guys think of. Simply as that." Corey nodded as he finished his decision.

Britney sighed, she'd meet the other girls at the coffee shop again tomorrow, she'd have to if she wanted a nickname for the music freaks that she could call him in public. Not that she wouldn't call him that occasionally via soulwave length in public...always…everywhere… She smiled deviously.

Corey on the other hand had shoved his headphones into his ear (with a slight grunt as he wondered if he accidently shoved them through his eardrum not the first time either) and was now watching TV. He flipped from the news through the multiple channels until he finally landed on a car chasing movie to which he watched quiet intently.

Britney huffed as she realized that she had been dismissed and went back to fixing their dinner which would be an odd recipe Carter hand given her called Coffee Stew* she glanced at the recipe doubtfully, coffee, assorted meats and vegetables, honey, then simmer and let boil for an hour then add a cup of coffee with honey and light cream. She finished the carrots and stared chopping potatoes into bits and adding them into the stew. After a while and the car chase revealed itself to be a romance Corey joined her at the kitchen and stared chopping up onions on their other cutting board, his earphones still in his ears as he accidently started cutting to the beat, one two three, pause, repeat. He then paused and took an earphone out and placed it into his pocket.

"So what's this recipe carter gave you?"

"Don't know, something he made called Coffee Stew." Britney shrugged.

Corey rolled his eyes, leave the coffee fanatic to make a meal out of his favorite beverage. He always knew somewhere that carter was more addicted to coffee than he let on…well, Carter did have a cup in the morning, then another for classes, then two at lunch, another during afternoon classes, on after school and probably two more after he went home so…

"I always figured he was a coffee nut." Corey said.

"No you didn't you just realized it." Britney replied.

"Shut up and fix Carter's weird stew!" Corey whined as he finished with the onions and started cutting strawberries in half.

" Corey, strawberries don't go into the stew." Britney said with a blank face.

"Yeah, they go in my mouth." Corey said, popping said fruit into his mouth and chewing as the juicy goodness flooded his mouth.

"Corey those we mine." Britney complained.

"So?"

"I wanted them."

"So did I."

"But they were MINE" Britney stressed the word.

Corey sighed and popped one of the small fruits into her mouth as she cubed and sliced chicken before adding it into the rich flavorful stew. She smiled. As Corey fed her the fruits (occasionally eating one himself) he began to wonder if Britney realized that she had eaten half the box of strawberries. Once realizing this, he realized that he had continued to give her said fruits even after the thought. Then he realized that if she ate them all, he'd have none, of course this was after he realized that he have just feed her the whole box. He paused and stared as she ate the last fruit.

"Do we have anymore strawberries?" He asked.

"No we have yet to go buy any but I'm probably going to the store tomorrow." Britney replied as she swept the last of the ingredients into the pot and let it simmer on the stove.

Britney moved to sit on the couch, plopping down next to Corey, who chooses to vault the back and get there first. She looked at him, who she now noticed held the facial expression that was equivalent of 'Give me strawberries!' in a kids voice.

"Tommorrow." She said.

"Now." He answered.

Britney threw he hands up, "What else in this house is strawberry?"

Corey paused and gave her a thinking expression as his brain started sorting out things in the house that did not taste like strawberries, then the ones that he could not eat without dying. Finally he came to only one object/thing in the house. He stared at her.

"So, have you come to the conclusion that I thought you would?" Britney asked with a smile.

"Probably not." Corey said as he chomped down in the tips of her hair.

Britney squeaked before giving him a sideways angry look so she wouldn't pulled her strawberry blonde hair out, "Why are you eating my hair?"

Corey opened his eye and answered, "because it tastes like you shampoo and your shampoo is strawberry."

Britney stared at him and said, "I hope you choke to death."

Corey ignored her and continued to nom on his meister's hair.

~*~*~*~With~*~Carter~*~*~*~

"Carter, duck." June stated as she tossed a booked behind her back, arching over Carter's slightly ducked head and landing on the table. Carter moved his finger down the pages until he felt it was right and flipped the book open.

He flipped it back two pages before he got to the actual page and pulled out a notebook and started filling out the discussion questions for Soulogy for Stein's class. He leaned to the right as a history book slammed on the table and June slopped down in the chair next to him.

"Page 195, 3rd section, 1-9 questions and five pages later all questions." Carter said as June pulled out her purple notebook (Carter's was a dark blue)

As they both filled out questions June begins to wonder about her partner.

"Carter, what's your story?"

Carter looked up, his hand still scribbling furiously as he solved a question about soul structure and personality. "Huh?"

"Tell me about yourself before you came here." June clarified.

"Oh, that's simpler. I was a wanderer." Carter supplied, writing out his answer with great care and precision.

"A wanderer?"

"Yeah, you know, a drifter, wanderer, survivalist, that sorta thing I was one since…" Carter mused the thought, "the age of…nine-ish"

"NINE!" June shouted.

"Yes nine! Now please do not scream in my ear again!" Carter complained, pointedly glaring at her.

June huffed before going back to writing for another couple minutes before she opened her mouth again. "So were you an orphan or did you run away from home?"

Carter glared at her, "You do realize that most people would not answer and instead would unfriend you for being inconsiderate, un emotional, and every rude?"

"Yes, but you're not normal."

Carter grunted, he'd give her that one. "As I am not, however, since I am not a normal person, I will give you the pride of knowing my past. My father was a very violent man, he beat my mother, and she left him as soon as he accidently left the car keys out on his dresser. She took me, however, three tanks of gas later and possibly seven hundred miles, she fell asleep at the wheel. She crashed into a telephone pole. No seatbelt, she flew out the window and died on impact with the wood. I had my seatbelt on, it was probably the only good habit I picked up. I suffered a mild concussion from the airbag possibly a broken rib. I was asleep for two days before someone stumbled across the wreak. They took me to the hospital. After several weeks, I was let out of the hospital, my bill paid."

"Who paid the bill?"

"Don't know. But when I wandered out, I was in the oh so famous city of Las Vegas. I became a thief, finding a teacher of the art was an interesting matter as I never managed to keep my wallet until one of the last days I was with him until he was caught and convicted. From there, well," He smiled, "It's another story."

"But Carter! Please tell the rest of the story!" June whined.

Carter glared at her, "You sound like a three year old when his mom has finished a fairy tale." He told her.

"So!" June snapped.

"So, grow up a little!" Carter said, "besides, you still have to do Black*Stars home work."

"HE ASSIGNED HOMEWORK!" June shouted, trying to imagine the buff blue-haired god fanatic assign homework.

"Yeah, hundred pushups." Carter said.

June started," Cover for me?"

Carter smiled. "As long as I can call you by your nickname for a week."

"three days!"

"Five"

"Fine." June said, crossing her arms under her chest and leaning back against her seat.

"Okay shorty."

June glared, it was no secret that June hated to be called short, but when her partner called her it, she'd live with it. She glared at him, but he just smiled and dropped to the ground, starting his two hundred pushups, and occasionally breaking them up by calling her shorty.

~*~*~*~*~*Jericho~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Jason stared blankly at his partner, Rei was at his right, sitting closer to Jericho. And Jericho sat opposite of Jason. Jason shifted back in his chair, nervous about the random girl Jericho had brought home and barely introduced herself before kicking him sharply in both arms then shocked him into his seat.

"So…" He said.

"Sorry about Rei, she's very violent." Jericho apologized.

"Yeah." Jason agreed.

"So, see as I am unnoticed shall I make myself known?" Rei asked, smiling as she leaned back in her chair and set her feet on the table.

"Please no." Both boys said at the same time.

"Okay then, conversation topic please?" Rei requested.

"Okay….Jericho, what's your history." Jason asked, rubbing the back of his head slowly.

Jericho grimaced, as if fighting off a headache. "No, no, you…it's not pleasant, it's not…no. Just…no." He shook his head. "It's not important right now." He groaned, his hand touching his head, and the room suddenly felt a lot warmer.

"Why not?"

Jericho waved frantically with one hand, "No, needed right now, bad. Ugh." Jericho grunted and ran out the door. It was hurting. Before either could move, there was a roar of the motorcycle engine as it tore down the street.

_Mental note do not ask Jericho about his past._ Jason thought.

**Hey, I'm so sorry about the update, my laptop broke nad it took FOREVA to get it fixed, but I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and owners of OC's, tell me if they are OOC and I'll fix it as soon as possible. Thank you! Now then, REVIEW OR BE SMITTEN BY JUNE'S HIGH HEEL OF DEATH. Options of death include 6 inch stilettos, or 4 inch pink ones.**


	8. Beach Time!

**Yup, so randomness! Anywho, guess who is eating my soul right now! That's right *dies suddenly* *Rei walks onto set* "Yeah so this is a short and…I forgot whatever else he wanted to say. Enjoy people"**

**Beach**

"Britney!" Corey shouted as he walked out of the house carrying a duffel bag and wearing swimming trunks.

"Eh?" She said, looking up from packing everything into Smoke's saddlebag.

"You remember the cooler?" Corey asked as he locked the door to the house.

"Yeah, Carter? You remember the drinks?" She called to the person in question who was on the other side of Smoke.

Carter peaked under Smoke's neck, "You think I'd forget?"

At that moment the only other missing people where Jason and Jericho who had already driven off to the beach in order to set up the barbeque. Jericho had happily taken that responsibility off their shoulders as soon as they had decided to go. Carter and June got the drinks, Britney and Corey brought towels and food and Jericho and Jason would also bring and cook food.

After Corey and Carter argued on putting the duffel in Smoke's saddle bags or having Corey carry it, they set off with Corey happily winning the argument nad carrying the bag over his shoulder. They had ended up letting the girls ride together and Corey riding reverse and holding on to a strap Carter had jury-rigged.

"So, Corey." Carter said, starting off the conversation.

"Yup?"

"You know if Rei's coming?"

"I don't know, ask Jericho idiot, she ain't me girl." Corey replied, moodily shoving an earphone into his ear and tossing the other one off to Britney.

"fine, I'll ask him when we get there, if she's not already there." Carter added the last part after a moment's thought.

"So." Corey said, quietly noting the growing distance between them and the girls who were about fifteen yards behind them.

"You fix June's 'shampoo' problem?"

Carter snorted, "no, she used it all somehow so I have no proof."

"dumped it down the drain?"

"Probable, but she most likely would have done something more clever, possibly mixed it with laundry to use less detergent and appear to be none suspicious."

"Smart girl you got there."

"Right, right, isn't there a bet on this?"

"Um…" Corey paused, thinking back on all the bets he and Carter had made in the last couple days. "We have that one on who's throwing who in the water, if Jason's gay, again I say no, then we have that STILL ongoing bet about me and Soul killing each other before school's done. But I do not believe we have a bet about who gets there girl first."

"Wait you forgot the bet about if Britney will fall out the saddle when we stop."" Carter said.

"I did?" Corey pondered the thought for a moment, "You right, and there's that one about Crona's gender."

"dude, we should drop that, not even the teachers know."

"Nah, find out one way or another."

"Okay so, twenty bucks to the person that get their girl first?"

"So low? Missing a few scraps of change?" Corey teased/

"Not for long."

"Huh?" Corey started then noticed the approaching shoreline.

The horses stopped, Carter and June barely swaying while Corey was almost thrown off and Britney was sent into the sand. Carter snorted and held out his hand toward Corey. Said person cursed and handed Carter a fifty. Bets are ridiculous.

Corey grumbled as he dismounted rather ungracefully, June slipped down Rose's side and Carter did the same. Corey spotted Jericho a bit further down the bed, sitting next to a very still, very sleepy and barely awake Jason who was trying to nap on a beach towel. And Failing.

Jason was wearing plain blue swimming trunks, a white T on the sand next to him. Carter eye's quickly started picking apart random details around him, it was low tides, skimboarding, Jericho had set up a blue fire, June had packed tanning oil in her hand bag. Britney was taking her shirt off, there was a shadow behind him, June was smiling, Smoke and rose were gone, their saddle bags ditched on the sand there they had been.

_Whatever_ Carter said, distracting his mind by picking up a saddlebag and gesturing for Corey to get the other on. Corey gave a small grunt as he picked up Smoke's bag. The girls had somehow walked to the small beach set up in the time Corey and Carter had been taking in the sight.

"So, Rei coming?" Carter asked.

"Again, why don't you ask Jericho, she ain't my girl?" Corey said.

"Who's girl am I?"

"Oh shi-

Neither got to finish their sentences as a mass of Rei's soul wavelength was proficiently blasted into the small of their back, sending them skipping across the beach sand and landing in a confused, and painful pile next to an umbrella Jason set up earlier.

Jason looked up, glanced at the two, nodded and said, "I'm going to guess and say. Rei's here." They nodded, "I'm not." He rolled over and rested his head on his forearms.

"Jason got about an hour of sleep last night cause he was packing stuff." Jericho supplied.

"Ah, makes sense, what's for food?" Corey asked, perking up slightly.

"Hamburgers, hotdogs, fries, rice, stuffed hamburgers, stuff like that." Jericho supplied, rolling over onto his back to glare pointedly at Rei for blasting his friends." Besides Corey, you still have like…two hours of beach time before we eat."

The blueberry smiled as he remembered his original task. Both Carter and Corey's glaze turned to their partner's. The girls (including Rei ) had taken off their cover-up clothes and were sitting on beach towels in their swimsuits.

Britney was wearing ad tropically decorated bikini, the top was orangey with multicolored leaves on the right side and the left contained a toucan. The bottom front have more leaves and Corey couldn't see the back.

Rei had a light blue and purple (Carter tells him it's an amethyst) and she had in green lettering across the right side 'Angelic' in cursive writing that was screwing with Jericho's mind. Jericho let out a small grunt as his normal and…'unnormal' vision mixed, blurred and then focused and refocused as he read the lettering.

June on the other hand, Carter noted, a small vein popping out of his head. Was wearing a Hawaiian flower…one piece. Carter growled and glanced at Jericho. He folded his hands together as if praying and faced Jericho. Jericho smiled, feeling sympathy from his old partner. He obliged.

Jericho transformed in a small burst of black flames, the thin katana landing in Carter's hands. "Borrowing your partner for a second Jas." Carter said before waiting for June to get up to rummage through the beach bag for a pair of sunglasses carter had brought.

"Iai*!" Carter barked, the katana at his waist in a sheathed stance.

June squealed as part of her swim suit fell off. The mid-section of her one-piece bursting into a mess of black flames, several smaller lines of the suit followed it only a second after the suit realized that it had been cut off and removed. Jericho smirked in the blade as June squeaked again and Rei blushed slightly, Britney however ignored it, keeping a wary eye on her partner who was innocently coating his headphones in a light covering of liquid plastic.

June's swimsuit had been neatly sliced into a bikini like Britney's. Carter nodded, smiling as he tossed Jericho up. He sat down next to June, now satisfied with his work for today. June however, was not. She crossed her arms over her stomach, her face red.

"Carter what was that for!?"

Carter opened one eye, having closed them for a nap, "You should have worn a bikini anyway."

"BUT I JUST BOUGHT THAT!"

Britney smiled at the two, her mistake, she realized to late as Corey heaved her up, onto his shoulder and with a short running start, threw her into the ocean and dived in after her. He laughed as he came up again, holding a sputtering Britney in his arms. Carter cursed to himself.

"Anyway, back to the matter," Carter said, noting that he'd have to give Corey the agreed sum. "You look better in a bikini than a one-piece."

June's cheeks had a touch of pink as she replied, "Then why didn't you say something when I bought this!"

"I did, you just didn't want to hear it."

"Then you should have talked louder."

Carter rolled his eyes and grabbed June by the waist, slung her over his shoulder and walked calmly into the water as June beat her fist against his back. He smiled as he pulled her under with him. Now the only three dry where Jason, sleeping, Jericho and Rei. Jericho smiled deviously. Rei, sensing something was afoot, dashed through the sand and dived straight into the water before Jericho could do anything.

"No fun Rei!" Jericho shouted as she came up.

"Come on guys, get in the water! It's nice and cool! Besides, we all need a break from Stein, Soul, Maka, and them." Carter shouted as he stood behind June.

"Yeah, yeah, shut up and flirt with your partner." Jericho replied, smiling at his friends.

Now of course Britney and June both blushed when Jericho said this and in response shouted, "We aren't their girlfriends! Besides partner-meister relationships are forbidden!"

The blueberry and Carter rolled their eyes and in union said, "Soul, Maka, Black*Star, Tsubaki, Kidd, Liz, Patty, must we go on?"

"Well, we aren't your girlfriends!"

"Yet," the guys said smiling.

The girls blushed.

"So who gets who?" Rei asked a small devious smirk on her face.

"Well, what do you think; it'd be nice to have a new opinion." Carter said.

The waves slowly lapped at the teens as Rei mulled it over. It was only when everyone came back up from ducking a wave that she answered.

"Carter and June…..Blueberry and strawberry…Jason and Jericho." She said.

"You just picked partners." Corey pointed out.

"So, Carter and June constantly mess with each other, casting the occasional mischievous smirk, but both you and him are protective over your girl. Corey, you have a habit of wrapping your arms around Britney's shoulders when you're behind her. And…I haven't really thought about Jason or Jericho." Rei admitted.

Jericho rolled his eyes. "Neither of us swing that way fireball."

Rei's cheeks reddened in slight anger and embarrassment. "Like I could tell, you guys have your hands around each other constantly!"

Jericho gave her a blank stare. "We always have our arms slung across the shoulders. It's comfortable."

Rei huffed and cross her arms, Jericho blushed a bit before turning his glaze to the sand on the shore. After a moment of thinking of dead puppies, Jericho had successfully erased the pigment from his face and focused his eyes on Rei's eyes. It took him a minute to see that she was mad at him for disproving her, although he could clearly see that she wasn't fully convinced.

He rolled his eyes. "Don't believe me?" She said nothing. Ten feet away, Corey snorted and Carter face palmed and swore. Jericho smiled and grabbed her arm, before Rei could roundhouse kick him out of the water or anything with her soul wavelength he yanked her forward and kissed her on the lips. He heard Carter and Corey swear, he vaguely remembered a bet about this, but he couldn't be sure.

She tasted like electricity and peppermint. He grinned as he dropped her back into the water. She sunk into the water, her hair scattering around her like a black octopus. June was blushing and laughing a little and Britney and a smirk like she had planned this.

When she came back up, she looked like someone had thrown a bucket of red pain across her face. She trudged out of the water and then collapsed facedown onto a towel in the sun. Jericho snickered before his laughter got the better of him and he ended up underwater rolling on the ocean floor.

Corey smiled, wondering if that would work on Britney, he dismissed it, he wasn't that rash of a guy, he wouldn't do something like that, Carter might, but he'd have to do something special, or stupid.

"Hey Jericho, what'd she taste like?" Carter laughed, a smile on his face.

Jericho smirked and answered, "Like peppermint and electricity. Tingly and fresh." This sent Carter into a new set of laughs along with June and Jason sort of snorted in his sleep, as if his conscious was half there half out of it. Carter or Jericho would tell him about it later.

"Hey didn't we have a bet on that?" Jericho asked.

"No." the other two declared with a completely straight face, eyes dead and lips in a straight line.

"You guys own me money."

"DAMMIT!"

The girls laughed, although June was a bit more reserved, managing to smother it into a small giggle. It was over an hour of dragging Rei back in, throwing June around (until he hit Corey and his muscled self in the head with a flip-flop) and a game of volleyball that Jason rolled over, looked at his watch and announce it was food time.

"FOOOOOODDDDD!" The cry went up from three idiots.

The others rolled their eyes and watched their partners/Jericho run to the grill. Jericho snatched an apron out of a bag and set the hamburger and hotdogs on the grill and snapped his fingers. Black flames sparked up out of the grill before Jericho toned it down to just the right amount of heat. He smiled as he cooked, occasionally shooting the random fireball at carter as he tried to sneak an early meal.

He enjoyed these times; his lips still had a faint trace of peppermint lingering on them. Rei was playing volleyball with Britney and June against Carter and Corey. Jason was sleeping again. He smiled, his worries forgotten temporarily. The only thought was keeping the hamburgers nice and juicy.

"Come on guys! Set up the table, foods almost done." He called, drawing everyone in to help set up the pinic table they brought, Carter and Corey quickly assembling the fold-out table and covering it with a checker tarp and the girls setting down plastic plates and spoons. June came around a second later, asking everyone's drinks orders and setting them in appropriate places around the table.

True to his word, only two minutes later, the hamburgers were done, accompanied by some fired sliced potatoes, chips, salsa, pretzels and assorted fruits. Once it had all been laid out and they had roused Jason from his eternal slumber, him squeezing in between Jericho and Corey, a slight blush on his face as he noticed he was across from Britney. Jericho nudged him with a elbow and gestured at the food. Jason eagerly dug in.

After ten minutes of chowing, fifteen of sipping drinks and chatting, and another ten of cleaning up, they were smiling, laughing and getting along together. Jason finally waken up enough to ref the volleyball game, girls vs. guys. The girls won, simply because Rei and June could serve better.

They smiled and laughed as they packed up. A day at the beach was just what they needed. Just what Jericho needed. Corey smiled as he looked at his friends and partner. "We will stand together." He mumbled the song lyrics as he dashed after them.


	9. Insanity's Illusions

**To clear something up, Jason was blushing for he was infront of Britney to which 'has a rack' and Jason is very uncomfortable around girls. He is not gay, nor are any other character…not sure about Crona still. -_-* dam you artist who made Crona. Seriously, does anyone have a clue on that! **

Chapter 8

Illusions and Insanities

Carter glared at June. She was lounging on the couch watching TV, she hadn't killed him when they got back from the beach, in fact, she had simply trimmed the threads of the bikini and put it in her closet with a smile.

Now she was wearing a skin tight black T-shirt, cut-off jeans and knee high socks, one was purple and one was red. Carter groaned and headed back into his room to get a shirt on.

It was early in the morning, he was honestly surprised that June was up, much less dressed and watching TV. He toweled of, wishing that he had spent more time in the hot shower. He pulled on a pair of boxer and found some jeans. He was frantically looking for a shirt when June walked in to ask him what he wanted for breakfast, she was picked up something.

He had forgotten that she didn't know about his scars, he always walked quickly to his room from the shower and he slept in his clothes usually. She stared at his scarred chest. The nicks and scratches from a car crash, the circle around his right arm.

She stared at them, the one on his stomach were a car joint had broken out and spiraled across him, another part were a windshield wiper part had broken up apart and shrapnel from the car hood had peppered his chest. His finger subconsciously coiled around his right shoulder, the half-inch deep scar the stretch all the way around his arm, nearly an inch wide. His grip tightened on his arm as he remembered what did it.

June seemed to snap back into reality fast that n he did, "Oh, carter I'm sorry I didn't-"

"It's fine," Carter said, pulling a white button up out of the closet. He grudgingly buttoned it up. "I just want some toast," he smiled.

"I'm sorry I-

Carter smiled, "Don't worry about it. Just don't dream about them tonight, k?" Carter cast her a smirk.

June blushed and hurried out the room to fix Carter toast and herself an omelet. Carter sighed and sat down on the bed. His hand resting on his shoulder. His grip tightened as the thought about the parts on the car, the configuration. The glove box. He pushed the though away and a finished buttoning up the shirt. He readjusted it as he walked out, snatching a piece of toast off a plate.

He stared at June, her figure moving around the kitchen as she snatch ingredients for her omelet and added them into her creation. He rolled his eyes, "do you even know what you do to me?" He muttered.

Her head perked up a bit and she looked at him, "You say something?" She asked as she flipped her omelet. He shook his head. "I could have sworn you said something." But she dismissed the matter, turning back to cooking.

_She's got a cute ass_, the thought happened before he could control it and he blushed and turned away. He sat down on the couch and watched TV, slightly ashamed of himself for thinking such things about his partner.

_Okay she does have a cute butt, are you done?_ Great now he's arguing with himself, _Nope, she's also the perfect height for you, a head shorter right? And she's got a cute laugh, she's got a petite body type. She has a mis- Okay I get it, now can you stop this?_ Carter groaned as he realized he was arguing with himself. And losing. Bad.

June rolled her ears, already predicting her partners thoughts of ridicule about her clothes choice. However she was unprepared when he called form the couch a 'You look nice' and continued nom-ing on his toast as he watched a romantic comedy.

_She's dense_, Carter thought quietly, _really dense, wonder if Rei or Britney is this dense…_ he gave the thought process some time to formulate before he cut it off and returned to topic. He needed to change the channel, this was stupid. He glanced at the remote; it was on the other side of the couch. He frowned, testing out his force powers for a bit before giving up and reaching across the couch for it. June beat him to it and changed it to an action movie. He cast her a 'thank you' smile.

"No problem, just remember you own me one. K?" She stuck her tongue out at him playfully.

"Gah, whatever." Carter said as he turned his attention back to the movie.

_I annoy myself._ He thought as he stared at the T.V His mind eventually drifting back to his partner. He growled slightly in annoyance. I mean COME ON. He should have spent enough time with Jericho to know she shouldn't be his type… And yet…he huffed. Thrice be damned that gambler. Making him flirt with everyone for practice. Not it was like a hobby. Although he noted he now only flirted with June.

He threw himself up off the couch and shoved his hands into his pockets. "I'm going out." He barked quickly as he snatched his jacket and jogged out the door. He didn't need those thoughts right now. He stood by the stables to check Smoke before running to Jericho's house. The job they had was a ways away so they borrowed a set of horses. Well, Jason did, Jericho somehow summoned a flaming black horse with a see-through coat and black bones, but Carter didn't ask. It looked like Jericho had five migraines at the same time and was steadily cursing in a somehow smooth yet very loud fashion.

It didn't take long for him to find Jericho's house…or was it Jason's? They never really told him which one they lived in, although he thought it was Jericho's since one of the windows was a slightly different shade of white which Carter remembered replacing because Jericho threw him out it for something.

He unlocked the small garage and pulled out the black and blue motorcycle. The detail was amazing like always. It always looked fresh, as if Jericho continuously painted the blue and black flames onto the body. The handlebars were hot and slightly bent down, the gas tank always full. He put the spare key in the ignition and hopped on the hot leather seat. It took him only a couple second to unhook the side car.

He roared the engine once before peeling out of the small driveway and onto the street. He slowed as he reached the main road. He liked taking drives on the motorcycle, the heavy engine somehow clearing his mind, like it was in a battle with June. He snapped that thought train closed as soon as it started. Instead he forced his mind into a mode that Jericho had pummeled into him, a flirty side.

He scowled as he realized he no longer needed the motorcycle and parked it on the corner. He looked and found himself in the market area. He loved this place. He always did. It took him less than a minute to find a suitable crate to kick off, do a short wall run and backflip onto the roof behind him. A grin fell upon his face.

Flips, pivots in mid-air, he had been trained to do this, literally. He had a master teach him parkour. And he LOVED it. The almost deadly falls (he actually fell off a building on a regular basis he knew every nurse from Death City to Las Vegas), the swinging off storm-drain pipes, the wind rustling his retardedly messy hair. He swung down from a flagpole onto a staircase rail, he balanced in an instant and road out the momentum until the pole ended, flipping artfully onto the pavement again. The storekeeper clapped and grinned.

He flashed a small smirk and rested his arms behind his head. He never really thought about physical workouts, he just kind of ended up either doing them in the end, or got bored and ran for half-an-hour. Three girls were walking down the street.

His mind on auto-pilot as his conscious tried to plot a course back onto rooftops in the best and most efficient way. Blonde one's top heavy like Britney, middle has no personality, last one has nothing, well, he corrected the statement, she had a personality, but that'd be it.

He stepped up on a windowsill and threw himself up halt a floor and grabbed the mortar that divided the floors. He swung sideways to a small pipe, climbed up that then kicked off onto the store roof to his left. That's when he realized that two or three weeks ago, he would have flirted with all of them, and probably at the same time.

He scowled and muttered, "Dam you June. Just…dam you." Stupid girl screwing with his mind. He scowled and laid back on the roof, he needed a nap, and he wasn't gonna get it thinking about romance. He settled his thoughts on a pure black sheet as he laid back on the roof. _Now then. GO TO SLEEP YOU THRICE BE CURSED BY GOD MIND! _He screamed at his conscious.

~*~*~*~*~With El Corey~*~*~*~*~~*~*~*~*~*~~*~*~*~*~~*~*~*~*~*~*~~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~~*~*~

He scratched his stomach. His brain wanted tacos, but his stomach wanted strawberries. And his heart wanted Strawberry. His arms wanted to do something, possibly twirl Britney's hair around his fingers. His feet wanted to be crossed or hanging off the couch end, his ears wanted to have one less earbud and be listening to a softer tune.

Instead he forced his body into submission, although he did cross his legs, threw his arms behind his head, jammed both earbuds back in, and glared at the ceiling fan wishing for it to explode and rain strawberries until he eventually drowned in them.

Be guaranteed Carter was dealing with the same problems, although, granted, Corey actually liked the feelings, he just didn't like being told what to do. Carter however…well, Jericho and Carter used to go out and just mess around and flirt, Jericho didn't like….well, small girls. He paused and waited for karma to happen. It didn't. He thanked God, and then got a electrical shock from a earbud.

He growled, but dismissed the matter before continuing on the train of thought. And now, Carter was having personal issues with his 'type' although he knew for a fact Carter like June before, just didn't want to admit it, not to himself or anyone else. And so, he dismissed the matter and now, June was becoming something he saw everyday which, Corey guessed, made his actual 'type' shine through. He guessed. He should have just asked Britney. Now he had a headache for working all this out.

He hated juggling weapon-meister duties, romance problems, trying to keep his pants his own playing strip poker with Jericho, helping Carter out with June and his personal issues, and keeping Jericho's gambling hobby in check and their friends, completely (or at least the majority) clothed. And most of all, he hated how on-the-dot his songs. Even when he didn't skip a song and he shuffled, multiple times, it would somehow always give him a perfect song for the scenario. And he absolutely HATED it.

He paused to yank his I-Pod out of his pocket and jab the shuffle button a couple times before hitting next twice. He scowled and there his earbuds across the room as it started playing 'Just the Way You Are.'

"I hate my songs." He said. "Britney! I'm going out to go find Carter!" There was a small okay as Corey rushed out of the door to find the athletic idiot that was probably swinging from a flagpole and flipping up a vertical wall right now. And actually, that was correct.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~With~*~Jericho~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

He scowled as he rode the horse. It had blown off quite a bit of steam to summon this, although he had felt 'it' claw up towards the surface a bit more because of it. That was the way it worked, suffer a headache from hell, or have 'it' crawl up a bit more.

Jason was riding the horse beside him, they were almost there and Jason seemed a bit scared. He didn't like this mission either, to little information, no recon, no hints, no confirmation. They could be riding into a infested zone or a deserted town for all they knew. He felt Jason shiver. It was a little chilly outside, he concentrated for a moment and warmed up the air around Jason. Jason shot him a glance.

By now everyone had learned of Jericho's flame abilities, and Jason respected them, if a little scared of them since he accidently blew up a fireball in his face.

The horse's rode on, the desert dust flying underneath the Death horses. Jericho shivered as he felt a presence appear on his back. He didn't like it. It was weird. He watched with mild interest as the small mining town came closer.

The request had been to scout out the mine since a lot of people had been disappearing. But now it seemed even the town needed to be investigated, Jason and Jericho dismounted as they stopped at the inn. Jericho threw open the doors, expecting to see at least a skeleton or a happy innkeeper. Instead he was greeted with a burning man with blue fires and a smiling demon staring at him.

"No." He muttered as the illusion snapped.

"What? What'd you see?" Jason asked

"A…I saw a demon." Jericho answered, partly telling the truth and partly lying.

Jason frowned, apparently having seen something as well. "I'm not sure what I saw…."

Jericho nodded as exited the inn. He headed towards the town center, a small fountain and a bell tower marking it. He felt the demon inside of him radiate stronger slightly as he came closer, Jason looked visibly disturbed and he wasn't much better.

And then he nearly voided his bowels of all contents when it appeared. Okay, well, IT appeared. Jericho's blood ran hot, he could feel the red in it turn black and then piercing blue. His shoes billowed out black flames his jacket smoking. And he had no idea why. He turned around and found only a skeleton of Jason, he flinched as the bones turned red hot and turned to ash. He wasn't far enough in breaking down to unleash that.

:"JASON!" He barked. No one answered although he felt a sharp pain on his cheek.

He heard a laugh, then a twisted skeleton rose from the ground, the skull had horns, a tail growing from the back bone and flickering back and forth. Jericho's knee's went weak. He fell back on his butt, his face red, whether from heat or confusion he didn't know.

"No. No no no no no no no no no no no no it isn't time, it isn't time! It's no right! No! I WON LAST TIME! I won! No. No." He crawled back.

"Time for the demons to play." The skeleton twisted, it's head rotating around twice before it ripped off it's own head. It held it out towards him as black scales started erupting from the bone and growing.

"No!It's not time yet! I still have time!" By now Jericho was screaming at the demon before him.

The now complete demon smiled and held up its hand and snapped, it's palm was set ablze with black fire. It threw the flames at Jericho.

"NO!" The shout tore from his lips as he sat up in the dirt.

His hand slammed into his chest and he felt his heart. He collapsed back onto the ground, his breath ragged and out of rhythm. Jason was beside him, his hand on Jericho's arm.

"Hey, are you okay?" Jason asked.

Jericho nodded slowly and sat up again. "What…what was that?

Jason shook his head. "Let's get back, I didn't see any Pre-Kishin here, but it does feel weird. We should inform Shinigami-sama about what happened. Let's go." Jason hauled the scared weapon to his feet and then called the horses. Jericho road back shaking furiously and curled against the horse's neck. Flames trailed behind the horses wake, but Jason had a feeling that the horse wasn't making the flames.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*With~*~the~*~Girls~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"So, how was it?" Britney asked, leaning forward on her seat.

"Yeah, how was it, was it magical? Or was it kinda plain?" June asked.

"Yeah yeah, hey, what did it taste like?" Britney asked.

"STOP ALREADY YOU TWO!" Rei shouted, a blush burning on her face. "Would you quit with the questions! It was just a normal kiss and besides, I didn't even like it." However, both the girls raised an eyebrow.

"Rei." They both said.

"Hmph," was the black haired girls only reply as she returned to drinking her smoothie.

They smiled, knowing that they had hit something, "Come on Rei, tell us!" They pleaded, practically leaning across the table at her.

Rei let out a small squeak and toppled out of her chair onto the floor, her smoothie still luckily fine on the table. She huffed as he rolled over and got up, brushed off her pants, righted her chair and sat down, glaring. They shrugged.

"Fine, I'll tell you. He was… hot.. well, his lips were. I mean, ugh! You see why I didn't want to tell you!" Rei's face had quickly turned from a small pink, to a bright red, to a redder-than-Soul-Eater-don't-say-my-last-name eyes.

Britney smiled, " Okay, you said it was hot. Like temperature hot or spicy hot?"

Rei frowned as she recalled it. Then her head exploded in smoke again. "Both." She muttered.

June made something in between a snort, a giggle and something Corey makes when he tried to eat that pie in one bite (I hope you can imagine). Britney managed to contain it to light fits of giggles and small gasps of air.

Of course at this moment both Carter and Corey walked by, saw the girls in the coffee shop and smiled as they exchanged looks. Corey pulled out a notebook and some ducktape while Carter searched his pockets for a pen.

By the time Rei had moved her hair to hide the massive blush out of sight and Britney and June had gotten a hold of reality, Carter and Corey had taped a note to the shop window, just for them. Rei smiled and read it for them.

"Hey, Britney, June, your boyfriends left you a note." Rei gestured at the window.

"Rei they're not our-" The started as they read the note.

It read (the the somewhat messy somewhat neat scribbles of Carter) Jesus! Corey's your back sucks as a pen press! Now on to the matter at hand. Britney, you need to shut up and just kiss the idiot, he's practically brain dead as is. And June. You're about as dense as a rock with a diamond. Rei, WAY TO GO~! And she's braver than you two -_-*.

Down the street, dying from laughter were the two who wrote it. Carter had barely made it out of sight before he had broken down, fell onto the pavement and started laughing up a lung, his appendix, his brain and his kidney while Corey managed to drag him a bit farther and around the corner before he too fell to the ground and started laughing.

"Oh Death! Oh my Death!" Carter breathed, "I'm going through hell for that!" He laughed again, "But it-" Corey nodded frantically in silent laughter, his lungs out of air so he was left shuttering and clapping his hands together like a retarded seal. "It was totally worth it!" Carter barely finished before he was sent into another fit.

Back at the shop however, Rei was chuckling quietly while both Britney and June had buried their heads in their arms and sucking down assorted fruit flavored smoothies. Rei smiled. Her new friends were annoying, but pretty cool. Still though, LAY OFF WITH THE KISS RELATED JOKES!

She sighed, it'll die down thought, maybe…hopefully….before she died? Please? And then the great voice of the author said, "**Nope, that's a negative ghost rider. You're stuck with it.**"

Sorry for the really slow update~! I'm just stupid and got unmotivated and then I have like three projects a week in Spanish (DEATH I HATE THAT CLASSSSSSS). But, enjoy! And tell me if Rei or Jason are OOC please! ^_^ Read, Enjoy, Review (or become a shiskebob as Jericho roasts you! Just kidding …or am I?)


	10. Will You?

**Um… So …. "DIDN'T I TELL YOU TO WRITE THE AUTHORS NOTE IN SPANISH!" Si! Yo nessicito…es leer de….screw it. READ THE STORY! *gets attacked by Rei and blown into a wall***

**Chapter 9**

"I HOPE YOU DIE!" Corey barked.

"Corey, headphones can't die." Britney said, snatching the thrown earphones out of the air and slipping them in. Lately his I-pod had been playing romance songs and he had been getting tired of it.

He shot her a glare. His eyes observing the tight black long sleeved shirt she had on. The blue tank top he knew for a fact she was wearing, the tight skinny jeans. And his jacket. He sighed.

"Lemme get this straight." He started, casting a warily eye at his partner who ws listening to him, "Girls like tight shirt, tight jeans, but loose jackets, and mismatched socks?" He asked (Actually I'd like a reply on this.)

"Yup!" Britney said, smiling as she rolled up her jeans a bit to show the white and cupcake oriented socks and the strawberry oriented socks on the other leg.

Corey sighed and leaned back in the chair. His mind distracted. "Changed shirts or zip that up." He said subconsciously as his glaze shifted to the ceiling fan.

Britney scowled. "Why?"

Corey stared her in the eyes, she shivered and he smiled, "Because I said so."

He clicked the skip button and smiled as it turned to 'Best Damn Thing' by Avril Lavigne. He could hear the music from across the table. And on a side note, he hated having 'devil ears' he had to keep the earphones in or else suffer hearing everything within a fifteen foot radius.

"Hey Britney." He said, smirking.

"What?"

"Come 'ere." He said, still smiling.

She grudgingly got up and walked up to him, "Yes?"

His smile grew, but before she could get away he had grabbed her and spun her around into his lap. His nose buried in his strawberry blonde locks. His hands wrapped around her stomach, his legs crossed on the table, the chair tilting back dangerously. Just what he wanted.

"C-corey! What are you doing?!" Britney squealed.

"Just what I want to." He answered as he turned his head to the side and put his head on her shoulder.

"Get off! Come on, I have a boyfriend!" She said.

He smiled, "Yep, but you're mine. M-I-N-E." He said, drawing out each letter.

Britney's face now resembled the color of her strawberry blonde hair. "Corey! Behave!"

"I am." He growled.

"How so? I'm supposed to be going on a date with my boyfriend, which you are not, and yet I'm in your lap, your hands are around me and your head on my shoulder!"

He smiled, "And I haven't kissed you yet."

She blushed.

He smiled, his goal for the hour accomplished. He released her and set the chair on the ground. He smirked as she jumped off. His hand darted around her and managed to partly zip up the jacket. Then she was out the door, her face a dark red.

"Death why is she so stupid?" He asked no one in particular. He sighed and walked to his room to find a shirt. He paused, hm… Britney didn't mention this when she was complaining. Eh, oh well.

He threw open his closet and dug around until he found his favorite shirt. The black shirt had red and green outlined headphones on the front, but the back was plain. He pulled it on and ran out the door, the lock clicking behind him.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Carter~*~*~*~*~~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

He looked across the room at his partner. He scowled and started at the fan. Around, around the tracks. The electricity powered the small motor in the mechanism, which rotated the blades along the track, and depending on the model, it might rotate a gear which did that. That now sorted he gave up.

He got up, and walked out of the house, his thoughts returning to the old days. He never used to be this shy, so now why was he so shy around June? He sighed, wishing he'd either loose this attraction quickly or, solve the problem and get his nerve back. He couldn't date another girl, he kept thinking of June and they would never compare. He huffed.

Then he thought something he had never thought of in his entire life. He'd ask his teacher, and not just a teacher, but the teacher with the almost identical problem. Soul Eater E- DON'T TYPE MY LAST NAME!( Okay okay! I'll stop! I promise!).

He smiled and sprinted to his teacher's house, well, if he could actually remember where it was. And so our idiot spent the next half hour running around the city searching for the white-haired Death Scythe whom happens to be dating to Maka Albarn (June's tutor in Soulogy and History).

Finally, he found the teacher sitting on the park bench staring at something he hid quickly once he noticed Carter. Carter pushed the thought away and sat down on the bench beside his teacher for Solo Weapon Fighting.

"Yes?" Soul asked, his voice clearly expressing his annoyance of Carter's presence.

"Can I ask you something?" Carter asked.

"No, we don't have homework dunce. That's uncool for a teacher to assign homework on a Monday." Soul answered, his arms folding behind his head as he snarled this.

"No, outside of school as in relationships." Carter said, waving his hands, although he was relieved he didn't have homework since if he did he'd be screwed.

Soul gave him something in between a scowl, a smirk, a frown, a grimace and a crazed 'WTH IS WRONG WITH YOU' look. Carter blinked, unsure if he should laugh or run. "What?"

"Okay, um…" Carter scratched his chin, "Uh, when you started to like Maka…. Did you….question your 'type' or yourself at all?" Carter asked tentatively.

Soul looked at him and snorted before turning his eyes to the sky. "That's exactly what I did. Until that point I had made a point to date the exact opposite of Maka's type. Black hair, suffocation a possibility with every hug, and honestly I hated it. But I didn't think Maka was my type, it was only when I got fed up with one of my ex's did I actually realize I was just being a dumbass and should ask her out." Soul laughed. "Lemme guess, you like your, short, flat chested partner?"

Carter smiled a little and punch Soul's shoulder lightly, " Gimme a break, she's got a cute laugh!"

Soul laughed again, "Okay, your turn to help me out." He said as he brought about the item he had been staring at. It was a small black box. Carter recognized what it was at once.

"You know, for such a cool teacher, you sure have a lot of girl related problems. You're not gonna become like the old Death Scythe are ya teach?" Carter asked playfully.

Soul shot him a small mischievous glance, "Sparing partner for a week." Carter swore, "But, I need advice, so help me out and you won't."

"Anything, I hate being your sparring partner, I always get my ass kick." Carter asked, "And is this about just how?"

Soul nodded.

Carter smiled, "That I can definitely help with." He said with a smile as he thought of the piano in the room.

~*~*~*~*~*~*With~*~Jericho~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"So…please explain, weeding out minor details please?" Shinigami-sama asked.

Jericho took a ragged breath, having barely slept in the saddle on his ride back. Jason had fallen asleep, but he reported to Shinigami-sama immediately. And now he might have turned the city on high alert, joy.

"Sir, when me and my meister, Jason, were heading for our mission destination, we stopped at the small town that had issued the request for more details if we could. However, instead of finding people, there was nothing. However, both of us saw…illusions. Mine were worse that his, but he said he just saw a skeleton, I saw the Devil himself sir. That aside, what happened was not something we ate. I think it was magic." Jericho said, the breath leaving him as he spilled out everything as clearly as he could without cracking his 'stable' atmosphere.

Shinigami-sama and Spirit exchanged looks. "That's not good." They both said.

_Wait….did Shinigami-sama just say something seriously? Without random sounds or weird misinterpretations?_ Jericho cocked his head to the side, bewildered.

"A Witch." They said.

"A Witch?"

They nodded, "If the reports are correct, then she has already killed several of our students already, we'll dispatch Soul and Maka immediately.

"Excuse me." Jericho interrupted, "Can me and my meister go? I have a bit of a grudge to settle."

"This is no time for petty grudges!" Death Scythe barked, "a Witch is a Witch, no matter which way you spin it, and this Witch is dangerous. We'll send out Stein's team."

"NO! One way or the other, she'll die! She messed with a demon she shouldn't have touched. And I'll get it back, no matter if I blow up a whole dam city. There is something that should not be messed with. And that beast is me. Now sir, you can either give me the mission and I'll complete it to the letter, or you can issue it to the other meisters, but I swear to Death, I will get this done, and I don't care if I'm a one star or a three."

Death seemed amused as he nodded, "Then I'll see you in a week, she might be in New York, I heard the pretzels they have are delicious there!"

Jericho smiled, "I'll make sure to get you one when I come back."

He sprinted out the door, as if the guillotines were crashing down behind him as he speed out the room and out of the doors. His soul beating a bit faster as a worm of black circled around it, a black cloak of flames materializing on his back, his boots turning form blue to pitch black, his shirt burnt away and melted into a leather chest piece. His eyes flashed from black to blue. His canine teeth a little sharper as he ran down half a flight of stairs and jumped out the window.

The wind whipped at his new clothes as the flames gathered around him. He landed on the 888 steps and slid down them, barely tripping as he shot off and rand down the street.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*The Next Day~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Soul! What are you doing? You never play piano with students here!" Maka snapped as she crossed her arms under her chest. Corey and Carter smiled. They knew exactly what was happening. In fact, Corey had been the one who smoothed out the sheet music. Although, he sucked at learning the actual instrument and carter constantly was pissed on Saturdays when he taught Corey guitar.

"Just listen idiot." Soul said with a smirk as he pulled out a pile of pages from the grand piano's insides and set them on the stand.

Maka frowned, he never played with sheet music, more over the sheet music looked like notebook paper, not printed. So it couldn't be anything from the interwebs*, and the lead used on it looked fresh and it was a mess of scratches and rewrites with pen. Her scowl deepened.

Soul ignored her expression, although slightly worried he'd receive a slightly-deadlier-than-a-Shinigami-Chop, Maka Chop, he'd deal with that later. His fingers flexed before starting to fly across the white keys, pressing them with deft, controlled movements, practice ease even against the notes of the new song. The soft chords of the minor keys, the beat of the left handed keys that acted as a counter melody. He smiled, _it's perfect you idiots, perfect._

Maka was in a state of confusion, Soul never played soft piano music, in fact, she somewhat liked his dark music. It was cool, like him. This was…unheard of, and sweet as well.

"Hey Maka?" Soul asked, over the piano, smiling.

"Yep?"

"Will You," He got up from the piano, although the melody never stopped, the keys continuing to be pressed by Carter who, now Maka noticed had his hands covered in black ink and lead, same as Corey who was managing to cover the left handed keys with a admirable amount of skill for someone who sucked at piano.

Soul knelt on one knee, Maka's hands went to her face, her cheeks a fire truck red already. "Marry me?" He finished as he presented the opened box to her. The woven gold holding a diamond that would make Liz scream in place from the meister.

"Yes Soul! YES!" Maka said, as she hugged and kissed him.

Carter and Corey fist bumped, "Best. Class. Ever."

Soul smiled at him as he held his fiancé. He winked before Maka kissed him again.

Carter smiled.

**Sorry it's so short, if I added what I wanted to add then it would be like… twenty thousand pages longer! (Not really probably only like…. Four so… eight Microsoft pages long. Lol) But I hoped you enjoyed Soul's proposal! Read, review, enjoy, and possibly make a Jericho doll for Rei *is missing an arm, a leg and 90% of his soul. Wait… no my soul was already like that before I stared this series… so…that's normal…lol**


	11. Breaking

**Sorry for the late update. I got distracted. And I probably will again since Assassins Creed 3 is coming out! ^_^ Anyway. On to the story before Rei rips out my spine and wears it as a belt. And my skull as a hood ornament. My brain for a smoothie. My bones as decoration on Jericho's motorcycle. And I don't know wh- "SHUT UP" Yes ma'am.**

**Chapter 10**

**Breaking**

He barely stopped to get Jason, actually, he didn't. Instead he managed to call him, get him to stand on the sidewalk and then grab his collar and drag him for a good fifteen feet before throwing him onto the back of the motorcycle. And the motorcycle then almost lit Jason on fire if Jericho hadn't had the mind to cool the seat down a few hundred degrees.

"Pissed?" Jason asked, his hand on the back of Jericho's belt.

A grunt.

"This something you conjured up with your flames again?" He asked.

Another grunt.

"We're going after a witch?"

A slightly annoyed grunt.

"Nice to know. Thanks for the warning." Jason said as he shifted to a slightly more comfortable position on the flaming motorcycle.

Jericho scowled. "Deal wth it. Right now your pants are either going to catch fire or there is going to be a gigantic afterburner blast that may or may not roast the birds alive." He growled.

Jason barely had time to tighten his grip before Jericho released a massive about of energy into a boost, sending the motorcycle from its usual speed, about one-eighty-five to a massive three hundred at least.

"JERICHO THIS IS SO NOT COOL!" Jason roared in the drivers ear.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~Carter~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~~*~*~*

Carter glanced up from his phone, currently playing his favorite game, Cartoon Wars 2 (Fun game) to look at his partner June. He scowled at her outfit.

She had on a tight black tank-top and…He stared.

"June. Why in the name of Death are you wearing that?" He asked.

"Hm? Oh Britney said I should show off my good traits, apparently I have a nice back." She answered.

"Yeah yeah, I get the…oh…it's a backless blouse. But the hell is the under…skirt…no it's not even a skirt!" Carter scowled, gesturing at the…skirt?

"It's a miniskirt."

He threw himself off the couch and glared down at her. "that's not a skirt. If anything that's a glorified belt."

She blushed, "It's a skirt."

"Change before I lose my better judgment and let you get out of this room." Carter snapped, glaring at her.

She yelped and ran back into her room. Leaving a very flustered and annoyed carter standing in the kitchen. He groaned and ground his palm into his forehead. If he didn't get this out, he'd have her pressed up against the wall before she could blink.

He relaxed and leaned back against the couch. She such a bloody tease. He wondered how Corey survived this with Britney going out with boys. He could barely hand her just walking around the house and at school. He was tempted to go take to his now favorite teacher to ask when the wedding would be, but he figured by now the albino would be either, asleep, or eating breakfast with his fiancé.

"June! Actual pants this time please! Skirts were created by the devil to kill men! And I'll give you a leather jacket to wear!" He shouted, eyeing the small too-tight leather jacket hanging on the coat rack. He'd be damned if she went out in a skirt.

A minute later June came back wearing skinny jeans which Carter glared at with a obviously unhappy eyes. He hated skinny jeans almost as much as skirts. He sighed and waved her off to leave and meet up with Britney at the coffee shop. Smiling as he gave her a small hug before returning to staring upside-down at the T.V.

Carter smiled as his closed his eyes. He shouldn't have stayed up late doing Stein's homework, shoulda just done it today since he had the weekend. Although after June got back they did have a mission. Something in Oregon or something….he couldn't remember.

_"You're good for nothing!" His mom shouted. Mary if he recalled her name, been a while since he's had one of these._

_ His father simply stared at her blankly, "Hell's wrong with you woman? Gonna leave today or something? 'Ring me back some beer."_

_ His mother gave a small shout of exasperation which came out more of a "ASSHOLE" than an actual shout before storming off and literally kicking open the front door. That's what he always liked about his mom. She was forceful._

_ He was sitting on the carpet, slowly building Lego houses and cars, putting little people together and the odd cow or something. He still wished he knew where to find Legos now. His father then directed his attention to him and his creations. He grew a devious smile, and promptly smashed Carter's kid-self creation._

_ Instantly the two year old started crying at his long task of building mini civilizations was smashed to pieces at the act of his father's foot. The Legos were not squashed plastic on the ground, leaving only a few usable blocks for Carter to rebuild, the rest mashed into one giant multi-colored mess. _

_ "Marcus!" His mother barked from the front porch, no doubt toying with the garage lock again._

_ She rushed in, sweeping the young two-year old into her arms and nearly suffocating the child in her cleavage. Carter instantly stopped crying, instead trying his best to wrap his small two-year old arms around his mom._

_ Marcus simply smiled, "What? The brat's got plenty of the little shit-bricks."_

_ "You scared him! And he worked hard on that! You saw how long, it was days!" His mom snapped._

_ Marcus growled, no doubt his small fuse lit, burnt and a nanosecond from exploding. His fist crunched the beer can, exploding the contents around the small living room as he stood up._

_ Marcus was in no means a tall man, an in fact, he was two inches shorter than his wife, who stood a 5'4. Carter was set down as his mother knew what was about to happen._

_ "Go to your room." She said. The two-year old nodded and ran over his broken Legos and into the room, knowing the full extent of his father's wrath._

_ He heard the wooden panel wall thud as his father threw his mother up against the wall and proceeded to punch her arms. His usual punishment. She didn't scream. She didn't cry out. She simply gritted her teeth and dealt with the pain._

_ Finally Carter couldn't stand it anymore, he ran out of his room, seeing his mommy about to be cut by the knife she had just previously cut the child's food up. "STOP HURTING MOMMY!" He cried with his small lungs._

_ Instantly the man's target changed, the blade flipping end over end and pinning the little boy to the hallway paneling. Carter cried out as the blade cut into his shoulder. His mother let out a scream, Marcus smiled._

_ "Finally got you to scream did I?" He smiled and stalked towards Carter._

_ His mother collapsed onto the ground, her bruised legs unable to hold her as she tried to crawl to protect her child. Carter gritted his teeth, pushing back the tears as he tried to act like mommy. Marcus smiled, his open hand slapping Carter across the room, his red shirt tearing free of the knife as Carter was neatly slapped into his mother's battered arms._

_ Marcus spit. Then walked back to his chair, making a point to step on the women's back and linger a moment before shifting his weight. Carter was crying now. His soft sobs of pain and anger smothered by his mother._

_ "Carter," She whispered into his ear, "I love you. I love you. I love you, please. Please just stop crying. For mommy?" She smiled, her white teeth slightly tarnished with blood from her split lip._

_ Carter simply nodded and wiped his tears and stiffened a sob._

"DUDE GET YOUR BOARD!" Corey shouted as he walked into the room.

"YOU MUSIC FREAK OF GENETIC FAILURE I SWEAR TO GOD I'M GOING TO KILL YOU TODAY!" Carter barked as he sat up, and promptly spun kicked Corey onto the sidewalk.

"What was that for!?" Corey snapped as he sat up and snatched his headphones off the sidewalk.

"I was sleeping asshole!" Carter returned.

Corey shrugged, "Fine whatever, grab your board, we're going skateboarding with Soul to the practice ring. The soon-to-be-groom has decided to get some air from the fashion makers (Liz , Patty and Tsubaki) and blow off some steam beating up the two demon weapons.

"Fine fine, whatever, let's go, gimme a sec to grab a shirt!" Carter snapped, rushing to pull on a black short sleeve and his board from the stand over his head. (he has cracked his head on it more times than he could count if you're wondering)

In only a minute, Corey, Carter and Soul were riding down to the wood. Carter usually holding them up to grind a spot, managing to crack his head on a reverse, backflip (not done yet) superman. Soul naturally laughed at the idiot student. Corey managed to restrain it to a cackle.

"Come on, let's hurry up before the girls find out where I've gone." Soul said, eyeing the bit of makeup powder on his pants with heavy distaste.

"Coming, coming." Carter groaned.

Fifteen minutes later, Carter and Corey were standing in fighting stances staring at each other with the teacher refereeing between them. Soul was also smiling, no doubt hoping one of the idiots would get leveled and wouldn't be a problem Monday in class.

"Okay, announce the style you're fighting with, no changing, only use that specific type" Soul said, pulling out a Jump and flipping around in it. Carter smiled as he noted the second book open behind the Jump. Probably a wedding planner or something.

"Long Knives!" Carter announced, smiling as the nine inch blades sprouted from the bottom of his hand and the back of his Achilles tendon (best reference I had), slicing a neat hole in his jeans.

Corey nodded, "Fighting Spikes" He announced after a moment, the nineteen inch spikes shooting out of his knuckles and five inch spikes from the bottom of his feet, punching through his shoes and into the dirt.

"Go." Soul said almost lazily.

Instantly Carter had covered the ten feet in between them with a single front flip, the heel blade going straight for Corey's face Corey yelped, catching the dangerous blade only an inch or so from his face. He dropped and threw Carter behind him and wheeled around up onto his feet.

Carter growled and spun in the air, his feet strapping on the dirt before Corey was on his, his spiked fist going for the parkourist's stomach. Carter hopped back, swiping Corey's hand up with his leg as he did.

"Oh yeah, first blood wins." Soul said with an afterthought as he side stepped Carter getting blown back into the tree he was leaning against from Corey's punch force.

Carter grunted and stood up and shook his head. "Freakin' hurt!" He complained as he stood up and then hit the dirt as Corey's fist slammed into the tree, leaving four neat inch wide holes and a rather large bent as the oak held onto the spikes.

"Yes!" Carter shouted as he stood up and watched Corey struggle with getting his spiked knuckles out of the tree. "Need some help?" Corey swore as the shin slammed into the muscle-head's lip, busting it wide open and ripping his fist out and sent him sprawling on te dirt.

"FUCK!" Corey yelled and spit blood. Carter smirked and he wiped his hand

"Game, the troublemaker wins." Soul said.

"YEAH!" Carter shouted, "Wait….AH SHIT I HAVE TO FIGHT WITH SOUL!"

"Nah," Soul hopped up and folded the Jump and shoved it into the back off his jeans, "Maka just texted me to get my quote, 'Sexy little ass back here'" Soul said.

"Didn't need to know the sexy little ass part." Both they said in union.

Soul smirked, his teeth gnashing together as he turned and ran off. Carter scowled, and brushed his jeans off. Corey groaned and rubbed his head. Then they turned and grabbed their boards.

"Coffee shop?" Carter asked.

"Duh, where else idiot?" Corey retorted as he rubbed his jaw.

"Um… usually the skate shop, coffee and THEN we tease June and Britney." Carter replied with a sigh.

"…Shadup." Corey growled as he followed the parkourist to the usual spot. AKA, where the girls would sit and do homework, talk, or tease each other. Currently the SHOULD be teasing Rei about Jericho.

"Whatever!" Carter laughed as he grinded down a ledge, "Let's go! I don't wanna miss June getting her usual last laugh at Rei! We missed it last time!"

"Fine! Jesus you're like a girl!" Corey groaned.

Carter grinned as he stopped at the coffee shop and hopped off his board and popped it up into his hand. "Come on Muscle head. " He growled as he pushed open the door.

He quickly spotted the small girl that was his partner and was sitting next to the blushing Rei or 'Sparky' as Jericho has now dubbed her, and Britney. Carter's grin widened as he silently walked behind her and easily picked her up and off the stool.

She squealed, the sound high pitched and making him laugh. "Oh my god!" He said, dropping the blushing brunette into her stool as he leaned back against the wall. "Oh my god!" He paused to gasp for breathe, he'd now heard everything, from Corey slamming his head into the wall, to Jericho lighting himself on fire with his motorcycles afterburn and now June squeaking. That was everything!

Britney grinned as Corey sat down next to her. "Hey Mus."

Corey growled lightly, "Thought that was private."

Britney shrugged with a smile, "oops, " she answered simply.

Carter regained his composure and sat down next to June, and after a moment of stretching his arms, lifted June up by her slim hips and set her in his lap.

"Carter, keep it G-rated." Rei said with a smirk as June instantly turned the color of her cherry smoothie.

Carter grinned, "Shut it Sparky." Rei scowled, her hand sparking blue soul wavelength from finger to finger as she glared at him. Carter just shrugged.

"Hey, where's the poker player? We're missing our usual game." Corey asked, suddenly realizing he wasn't stripped to his boxers.

Rei shrugged, "His motorcycles here, but Jason sent me a text saying they left on a mission."

Carter frowned, "That's rare, Jericho hates back-to-back missions." He didn't like it.

June shrugged, "Maybe it's something connected to his past?"

Corey frowned, "Maybe."

~*~*~*~*~Jericho~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

He gritted his teeth. The world was going to BURN. And more importantly. THEY were going to BURN. He glared at the two people in front of him. One male, the other female. His flames flared, dispelling the snow within fifteen feet.

"I dare you." He growled.

The female smiled, " 'You don't mess with me and get away with it?' Am I right? Of course I am! 'You're an insane bitch and I swear to GOD I will roast your insides on a spit!'" Jericho growled. This witch was quoting him.

The male witch… or would he be a wizard shifted awkwardly from foot to foot on the glacier. He looked like he had been locked in an icebox and then had his cheeks splashed with pink paint. In the fifteen minutes he's seen this man, he has had a constant blush.

"Get out of my way." Jericho growned.

"S-Sorry, no can do mr." The male said as the weird scarf arrow thing whipped in the wind.

"Jason." Jericho growled.

Immediately Jason grabbed Jericho's wrist and lunged forward. The searing hot katana blade easily slicing through the glacier like paper. The male witch simply jumped back, a ice pillar springing up the ground to meet his feet.

"Let's fry them up." Jericho growled.

Jason nodded, clenching his hand on the surprisingly hot leather handle. Usually Jericho's handle wasn't this hot, even when he was mad. This was a new level of hot, almost like Jason had his hand sitting in hot water. Although, against the snow, it was pleasant.

He rushed forward, hopping off the cut glacier to slide a little up the ice pillar and slice the top five feet off. The wizard slipped, the sliced ice immediately exploding into icicles that melted as soon as they touched Jason. Jason chased the wizard, slicing thorough ice walls and ignoring the ice golems that he conjured as he pursued the ice wizard through the rural districts of New York.

"End of the line ice boy." Jericho growled from the blade. He felt like his head was about to explode.

"Not quite." The ice wizard stated calmly as he gestured up.

Jason looked up too late as the magic engulfed the duo.

He was standing over the ice wizards body. He frowned. He didn't do this. He couldn't have. This must be an illusion. He turned and ran out of the alley. He spotted Jericho running towards him down the road.

"Jericho!" Jason shouted.

"BRAT!" the Jericho yelled as he exploded into the form of a demon.

Yup, definitely an illusion.

Jason scowled and crossed his arms as the illusion washed over him. He gasped as a hot blast of pain washed over him. He looked down to see that the black katana blade was slowly inching through his chest. Judging by the blade length, he had half of it sticking out his chest. He hit the ground on his knees. This couldn't be an illusion.

He felt the warm metallic taste of blood in his mouth as he hit the dirty snow covering the ground of the New York rural area (suburbs if you will). This couldn't be right. Jericho wouldn't do something? Right? This was an illusion. Right?! But illusions couldn't cause pain.

Next to him, Jericho was experiencing something on a totally opposite spectrum.

"LET GO OF ME!" He yelled as the black skeletons continued to erupt from the ground. Bony finger searching for anything and everything to grab onto. He gelt his feet getting dragged through the ground. He screamed as more came and wrapped around his shoulders. "NO!"

"GET OFF!" He yelled, batting away on that crawled over his chest. "GET OFF!" He knew this was an illusion. He knew it. But this was exactly what happened last time. He didn't, no he couldn't tell if it was real or fake or what.

And then he saw blackness for five full minutes. And then the blackness was rushed away as red light shot up from the bottom of his vision. He was sitting in a chair. More specifically he was sitting in a lounge chair stairing at the smiling face of Lucifer himself. His hands were firmly tied to the table. His legs shackled to the chair.

"GET OFF ME!" He roared.

The demon smiled, "Not this time my old pal. We have a bet to make this year." He smiled as a deck of black playing cards appeared in his hand.

Jericho cringed as he recognized what game was to be played this year. Lucifer liked to call it. Devil's Hand. Jericho called it HELL-IN-ONE-Game. Basically. Jericho only lost if he got a 666. And he was playing with Lucifer himself.

The demon dealt the cards slowly. Deliberately taking his time as he dealt his victims hand. "OH dear." He muttered as he showed Jericho his cards.

_**666**_

Jericho watched the cards slap onto the table. His eyes widened a fraction of an inch Before he felt the vault burst.

**Hehe cliff hanger. Sorry. Had to. But enjoy, sorry for the late and the very late prestory message don't feel like fixing it so. AC3 is epic. I now have Minecraft (I'mma nerd!) and Rei is going to kill me. Bye~! OH SHIT CHAINSAW "GET BACK HERE YOU SHITTY LITTLE AUTHOR!"**


	12. Loose Ends and Courage

**Okay. Lemme get this straight for those people clueless. I don't edit author notes at the beginning (because honestly, who reads this chizz? Also what is chizz?) Simply because I'm lazy. That's a-no! No Not th-*blown into a wall* "GIMME MY BOYFRIEND BACK!" Help? Please? Armor? Food? A homemade voodoo doll? Any-*Rei stomps on spine* the pain. *passes out***

**Chapter 11**

"Hey you heard from Jericho?" Carter asked as he ducked the textbook flying at his head from Stein.

"No," June shrugged, "And from what I know Rei is really nervous. She's skipped two days for class repeatedly calling Jericho or Jason's cell. So far she's gotten voicemail every time.

"Holy Death ." Carter muttered.

"Not even Death himself would be able to save Jericho from the punishment he'll get when he gets back. Rei's sent four guys to the hospital already." June replied as she clicked her pencil once more and copied another set of notes down.

"Really? It's only been four days since Jericho left. Granted he did leave a note, a worrying note, but still a note." Carter muttered as he cast his eyes to the ceiling then to a blue haired idiot who was managing to sleep and listen to music on full-blast which, with Corey's headphones and hearing, was quite an achievement. There was a reason he got the nickname "Devil Ears" from Jericho when he took his headphones off.

"June, I'm bored." Carter stated as he nudged the small girl.

"And? We're in Stein's class. And I can't have Maka tutor me every day unless we have something to go off of." June said.

"I can tutor you ya know." Carter said, leaning back in his chair until it hit the wall.

"I thought you were making B's." June said.

"And you're making C's, so suck it up and let's catch a mission." Carter advised with a smirk.

June scowled and turned away, "Fine, but you're tutoring me after we get back. I'm having trouble with Soulogy. And History…" She added as an afterthought.

"The class with the weird cat teacher?" Carter asked.

She nodded.

"Tch, easy. Just answer, 'Something that's not as cute as your tail and she'll give you half credit." Carter said.

"Why would you put that?"

"…I had a cat okay? I'm a cat person. Shush." Carter said after a moment before standing up.

"And where might you be going Carter?" Stein asked as he spun around in his chair.

"To catch a mission." Carter answered as he leaped down the stairs and ran out the door.

June sighed. "Sorry Dr. Stein I promise I'll be back for the after-school session!" She said as she gathered her notes and rushed after her partner.

"Moving on from those idiots." Stein said as he watched them leave.

Carter smiled as he stared at the missions posted on the board. However. It was the near Las Vegas that caught his eye. "No way." He muttered as he snatched the job off the board and read. "June." He stated. His voice calm and cold. "This job." He said and slammed the job back into the wood, the paper seemed to impound itself into the wood and stay there.

Then Carter turned walked down the hall. His heels seemed to be echoing louder than they should. As if Death himself was adding his weight to Carter's steps. Carter smiled and kicked open the front door.

"Death." He said as he looked back at the school. "Allow me to add another soul to your collection." He snarled the last part.

~*~*~*~With~Corey~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Corey." Britney's voice woke him.

"Hm?"

"You want to catch a job or something? We've had a couple days of nothing so wanna?"

"MMmmmHmm." He answered as he turned up the volume blasting through his earphones.

Britney smiled. "You're an idiot." She said as she finished putting her books in her locker and headed towards the Board. Corey followed her slowly as he closed his yellow eyes and walked through the crowds after here. Dodging people by sound of their footsteps. He smiled. He was getting better at this.

"Corey what job do you want?" Britney asked and nudged him to let him know to stop. Lately he'd been closing his eyes and walking like that. But he'd run into a wall once or twice like that.

He opened an eye and looked at the board. He scanned the jobs. He didn't really wanna travel too far. He'd like to see if Jericho had left his motorcycle. Then he paused, his palms sweating as memories slammed into him like Black*Star going for the women's showers after Tsubaki entered.

"Rhyme Valley." He muttered as he started at the job.

His hands clenched into fists as he read it. "Exterminate the Kishin nest in the abandoned town. Team: Suggested, not required. Map is available if needed at the-" He stopped reading it as he told the attendant he and his meister would take it.

"Corey! What was that about!?" Britney yelled as Corey ran down the hall.

"Jericho's house! Now! Come on!" He yelled.

Britney scowled as she ran after him. She didn't understand this. A moment ago he'd been calmly listening to music that could explode her eardrums. Now he was running as if there was a demon (or Jericho who just won poker and Corey lost) chasing him.

"Corey! What's up!?" She yelled as she raced down the steps passing June and almost getting run over by Carter as he jumped over her head, did a backflip and slid down the railing of the 888 (Death the Kidd was responsible for reconfiguring the stairs to have exactly that many stairs).

"Sorry can't talk right now Britney!" June called as she pulled out a skateboard and grinded down the stairs after Carter.

Britney blinked. "June skates?"

June smiled and flashed a peace sign before she was gone. Britney sighed and raced after her own partner. Corey was waiting at Jericho's house. His custom flaming blue motorcycle purring under Corey.

"Train's too slow. Get on. Jericho lets me and Carter ride it." Corey said.

"Corey! What's this about? Please explain. You're never this excited about a job!" Britney snapped as she crossed her arms in front of the motorcycle.

Corey sighed, his hands gripping his necklace a bit harder as he spoke. "Rhyme Valley is my home town. And now it's the mass grave of all my friends and family." He said as he leaned over the motorcycle handle bars.

Britney's eyes widened as a car past. Corey shook his head. "get on." He said.

She nodded and climbed onto the back of it and wrapped her hands around Corey's waist. He smiled a bit as she tensed up when the cycle roared as he hit the gas. The cycle sped out of the driveway and down the street.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~With~That~Stupid~Nut~Of~A~Character~*~*~

"Smoke, faster!" Carter said into the horses ear. IN response Smoke snorted and sped up a bit.

June groaned. Carter had been pushing them to the unbelievable speed of almost 378 mph. And he was probably getting a bit higher with Smoke. He had been saddling Smoke and Rose when she caught up and he hadn't spoken since.

"Carter!" She yelled, "What's this about! You're never like…..this!"

He smiled. "That's because I never had a chance like this to pay back that arrogant jackass, shit-eating son of a bitch." He said.

"Who?!" June yelled as Rose picked up speed to gallop beside Smoke.

"Never mind." Carter said as he flexed his arms and cracked his knuckles. "Won't matter in a little bit."

Whatever June was going to say died in her voice as Smoke and Rose suddenly stopped in front of a run-down, torn up house. There was a garage, the door to it thrown in the yard onto a dusty old road. The lights of Las Vegas could be seen even from here. Carter smiled and he looked at the setting sun.

"We're here." He said as he dismounted Smoke and helped June down.

"Where's here?" She asked as she looked around.

The house was probably once a charming little cottage, with a nice white screen door and a wooden mahogany. Since then the wood door had been torn to pieces, some of them were scattered around the barren yard. The screen door had somehow remained intact, but the screen was missing and the edges shredded and jagged. The walls were once vinyl, most likely a white, but it has since been broken and pieces clung here and there, showing the tar paper and in some spots, semi-rotten plywood. The two front windows had been broken outwards and the house looked a pick slanted.

Carter sighed and picked up one of the pieces of the wood door. "Welcome to my old house." He muttered as he rolled the shard in his hands before sticking it into his pocket.

"Why are we here?" June asked.

Carter answered with a smile. "Because my fathers' here. And he's a Kishin." He walked forward to the screen door.

Instantly a large bladed hand reached out and dragged him into the room. Someone laughed as June started to run for the house.

"Carter!" She yelled as the screen door slammed shut again. She jumped through the jagged window in it, the edges tearing at her clothes as she passed through.

"Well, well, well, a meister as well? You've done better than I thought little boy." A voice said.

"If you touch her I will rip out you're skull and use it as my Christmas mug." Carter's voice snapped.

The previous voice laughed, a deep harsh laugh, fit only for that of a powerful, dark man. And in this case. A monster. June stared at the scene before her.

Carter was pinned beneath a large bladed hand, which belonged to the man standing over him. Said man was slowly licking blood of his other bladed hand as he watched her step into the room.

"So my useless son, what's this you've brought?" He asked, the blades of his hands digging into Carter's shoulders.

"You're death." Carter said evenly.

He smirked, "Interesting thought you have there since you're the one trapped underneath a blade."

Carter smiled. "You're forgetting that my meister is her." He said with a smile as June dropkicked his father off him and into the decaying wall.

Carter stood up and brushed himself off as June held out her hand. He smiled and felt his skin shift. Her hand closed around the thin hilt of a thin katana. She glanced at it. Usually he was a broadsword, but for him to be able to be a katana, they must be resonating rather strong. He smiled.

"Nice form." The monster said.

"Shut up Diablo!" Carter yelled from the katana.

June smiled and pointed the blade at him. "Demon, your soul is now mine." She smiled, "So die nicely for me would ya?" She asked as she leveled the blade and adjusted her stance.

"As if." He snorted in reply.

He was faster than June had originally thought, his claws tore through her shirt, and almost her stomach if she hadn't the mind to jump back. She felt the wall touch her feet and she kicked off of it in a low dive. The katana blade whipped around, slicing into the ankles of the man. Carter winched innerly as he remembered the demon always enjoyed throwing things at Carter's mom while she walked as best she could with the bruises.

The demon smiled and crouched a bit, one claw flicking to his ankle as the blood ran along the blade. "Very creative move in this confined space." He commented as he licked the blood of his claws.

June said nothing as she started at him. His shape was roughly human, but like a hunchback. Short, crumpled together, but with bladed hands and stubby legs. The only clothing he wore were worn and torn pin-striped pants, do doubt from a long forgotten party.

Carter was vibrating in her hand, his soul frantically jittering around. As emotions mixed in him, worry for June, anger at his father, doubt that he could even do this, annoyance he was even thinking of some of this, rage at memories that were being called up. She sighed, her soul locking with his, letting the poor jittering blue orb stop trembling as much.

"Scared boy?" The demon asked smiling with pointed teeth.

"Soul has more intimidating teeth than you." Carter snapped back.

June smiled and sidestepped a swipe at her arm and whipped the blade up at his face. The katana glanced off his claws and she hopped back to a comfortable distance. Instantly he shot out again but this time he slashed the floorboards, and the underlying supports. The floor crumpled and June gave a cry as she fell down, barely managing to raise the sword in her hand before the claws slammed into it, driving her back against the slanted floor, the claw tips stabbing into the wood above her head.

"Can you keep up?" He growled as his tongue licked his lips.

She growled and grabbed his tongue and pulled it before slamming her booted foot as hard as she could into his crouch. The demon grunted as best as he could before her knee slammed into his jaw, snapping his serrated teeth shut on his tongue.

He howled and dove away as June dropped the wet organ to the sand. "You talk to much. Shut up." Both she and her partner said.

"You're a demon which needs exterminating." They said, "And you will die as an animal should," June leveled the blade at him. Instantly June felt the cool devious presence of her partner as their souls became one. Her breathing calmed as she stood up straight and held the sword in a sheathed position at her hip.

The demon smiled and dashed forward seeing his chance. Instantly he froze halfway there. June calm voice rang out in the abandoned house. "Soul Resonance, Silent Blade." She said as she stared at the katana in her hands. She stepped forward, past the demon and tossed the blade up.

As Carter transformed, the thin red line traced itself in a perfectly straight level line across it's body. And as his feet touched the ground, there was only a single pulsing red soul left. Carter smiled and grabbed it and stuffed it into a sack.

"You're not eating it?" June asked, smiling as they walked out.

Carter shook his head. "This is a soul that Shinigami-sama needs to watch over." He said as she whistled to Smoke and Rose who were waiting patiently by the road.

June smiled. Maybe Carter had grown up just a little from that battle. Maybe not so reckless and mischievous…" Hey June." Carter said with a smile. "You wanna ride with me?" Or maybe not.

"Carter…." She growled, about to pull a Maka Albarn and axe kick him. She stopped herself as she glared at her partner. She sighed and climbed onto Smoke's saddle. "Just this once." She grumbled.

He smiled. And climbed onto Smokes saddle who snorted and glared at him as if saying, 'I'm getting another apple for carrying this chick.' Carter shook his head as he nudged his heels against Smoke's side and spun June around at the same time.

"This is a whole lot more comfortable position to ride in." Carter said.

June growled and turned to stare at the setting sun as Carter just shook his head again and placed it on June's shoulder. After a minute he mumbled, "Thanks. I couldn't have done it with anyone else." Before he apparently fell asleep.

June smiled and leaned forward a bit as he twitched in his sleep, causing him to rest his head in the crock of her neck. She shivered lightly, but didn't yell and wake him up. He deserved at least one night to rest, not everyone has to deal with a past as harsh and haphazard as his. And he just slayed his father. He deserved some rest for that…right? She shifted uncomfortably as he wrapped his arms around her waist. Right?

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~With~Corey~*~*~*~~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Corey! This is going to explode the engine!" Britney yelled.

"Is not." He answered as he noted that the song changed to Burn It to the Ground by Nickelback. "Jericho's motorcycle is custom made to accelerate at temperatures at over 3000 degrees. It's actually impossible for normal motorcycles to even achieve half that without the engine melting into one glob of metal." He said as the large brick wall of his hometown became visible in the setting sun.

"Welcome home." He muttered. Britney shook her head.

"You can't dwell in the past Corey. Even if this is a ride down memory lane." She said.

Corey shook his head." It's not a ride down memory lane." He said as his arm transformed into a chain with a sword. "It's a rampage through the hell I dealt with and tying up loose ends." He finished as the sword whipped through the old iron of the town gate, sending bits and pieces everywhere before the 40 foot tall gate slammed down right infront of them, causing the bike to shoot up as it hit the top. Corey smiled grimly as the bike rocketed into the town.

The town was once a cheery place, music filled the streets, some of the plants would actually dance, or seem to. It was peaceful. It was home. Now the red brick buildings had vines on them, sections of brick hung in the streets and shells of cars were haphazardly placed throughout the streets. A bakers window had bloody chains hanging through the glass and on the counter. The clear form of a Kishin could be made out as it turned at the sound of the bike. By the time Corey stopped they had four on their tail.

"We have no time for these." Corey muttered as his sword lashed out, decapitating them all and letting their bodies evaporate into a squishy red soul. "There's a bigger fish to fry." He said as he picked up the four souls and ate them. Similar to Soul.

"I didn't know you ate them like that." Britney said.

"Doesn't matter if I download or swallow them. It still counts." He replied.

They walked for a bit. Corey lashing out at every Kishin in his path, not even pausing in his stride. Britney stuck close to his side. It didn't look like Corey was going to let her fight for a while and in the meantime, she didn't have a weapon. She shivered.

"Britney," Corey said as he stopped in front of a large brick house. Most of the windows were broken out, painful shards hung in the frames, some had flecks of blood. The porch had boards torn up and littering the street, the door was broken off and the pillars of the porch had rough slash marks. "Welcome to my house." Corey said as he stepped it.

Immediately he was blasted back out, slamming through the brick wall of the house behind him. When he got up Britney was there, holding his hand. He nodded and shed his skin. Feeling the familiar blast of music intensify as his soul shaped him. Britney smiled as she spun Corey experimentally before addressing the enemy in front of her.

The pillars on the house creaked as hands the size of Corey's chest grabbed them. The beast pulled itself out and roared, the music of Corey's soul drowned out a split-second before it practically doubled in response. Britney felt her adrenaline pumping as she stared at the large nine foot tall beast climbing out of the house by its arms which were twice as long as that. A large sword was mounted on its back. It couldn't get to use it if Britney wanted to end this without injury.

"Careful. He's faster than he looks." Corey said.

Britney nodded and charged. The giant looked up. The roar that followed even made Corey winch. Britney gasped as her eardrums exploded. She couldn't even hear as the giant took a step forward and swatted her into house beside her. She felt the pain, but couldn't even hear the thuds of her body smashing through broken furniture, broken brick walls and stopping as she hit the solid frame of a refrigerator.

"BRITNEY!" Corey roared, the soulwave blasting through her soul like a canon. She shot up. "Stand up! Fight!" Corey shouted.

Britney rubbed her ears. Corey was right. She could still hear. She could still fight. Even if she felt like she whole brain just shattered. Now that roar wouldn't be a problem since she couldn't even hear! She smiled grimly and calmed her soul. Which was actually really easy since she knew Corey was right there with her.

"Britney calm. Think about his movements. Pinpoint a weakness. Target it and execute. You're not a strong as me or as lithe as June. But you're better at plans than anyone I know minus the bookworm." Corey said. Britney growled at the comment about June. Even if it was true.

Britney burst out of the house. The giant hand coming straight for her face as soon as she took four steps.

She didn't miss a beat as she threw one of Corey's chain blades, the sword swinging around it's palm as Britney ducked and rode the momentum up before the chain unwrapped, dropping her off on top a roof. The giant opened its mouth. It probably roared again but she really couldn't hear it. More of a dull throb was left.

"Britney. He probably has a sore or a weaker spot on his right side just below his ribcage. That's were Simon hit him. Then again…." Corey muttered, "He was a great deal smaller." Britney rolled her eyes. But at least talking through soulwaves gave her an advantage of being able to here helpful information and not the horrible roar.

Britney stared at the giant as it moved about. It's head was practically level with her feet right now. She shifted uneasily. It took a couple steps closer before it swung again. It's hands were on both sides of her when she jumped as they slapped together. She landed on the wide arc and ran down it's arm. She threw Corey around, it's chain extending as it wrapped around and around before she dove off. Before she could even pass from circling around it's back It had begun wrecking about in it's bindings. Britney let out a small scream as the chain was jerked up and about, the swing going in reveres as she spun off it's arm.

Thankfully she managed to pin around and land skidding on her feet of the broken road. She felt her soul stir a bit as Corey's tapped it. She smiled. And straightened up a bit. The blades were light as the wavelength rebounded back and forward, intensifying each time. She took a deep breath as she past the usual limit.

"Soul resonance." She breathed as she walked towards the giant.

There was another roar, judging by the fact that the buildings trembled. The music Corey's soul was playing was of a nice fast tempo. Her walk sped up into a run. The fist was behind her as she stepped, the large crimson hand buried in the dirt as she weaved through its next hand. Music was weird like that. Nobody could ever catch it. But she was doing a pretty good job of flowing along with it.

"Music Melody." They said as she struck. The blades exploding as a wavelength flowed from the blade, echoing through the air as the melody of their souls came forth. The song as sharp as a razor and the tune as fast as lightning as she cut. The giant stared at the hole in its side. The shape of a perfect musical line blazed across its lower chest.

It simply seemed to roar and pull the sword from its back. Britney looked at it in shock. There was rarely any creature that could withstand such a fatal blow. And there was never a Kishin that could live through a Soul Resonance. Especially one as strong as the one she and Corey just preformed. She stared as it pulled the easily eleven foot long sword out of the sheath and let it rest on the ground.

"Well….shit." Corey's wavelength said. She nodded as it raised the sword. "MOVE" Corey shouted causing her to stumble forward.

She shook her head as the blade tore through the street. She didn't get it. How could a Kishin, any Kishin survive getting a Resonance directly to its chest and then laughing it off and start fighting again. It wasn't possible! It wasn't realistic!

"What it that thing?" She breathed as she ran into the house. She didn't bother to look around at Corey's old house as she dashed through and burst out the back door. "How did it do that?" She asked.

Corey was silent as he watched from the blade as the giant lumbered around the house. It's arms were stupidly fast, but overall it still moved pretty slow. Britney glanced back as she felt the ground vibrate under her feet. The sword was raised again.

She dove, the blade slicing off the very back of her shoes. She kicked them off and ran through the rotten falling fence into the next yard. She heard Corey tell her that this was Simon's house. She didn't like the memories she was no doubt stirring. It made Corey restless and his soul unstable. Corey's soul shined as she kicked down the back door, Running up the decaying stairs, barely staying ahead of the falling boards and burst into the bedroom.

It was obviously Simon's judging by the childish little winged themed bedspread and the blue curtains. The carpet had been tore, stripes and pieces of it clinging to the floor. Corey's soul shuddered as she noticed the blood splatter and the skeletons on his bed. They were probably his parents, they were too big for anything younger. She shuddered, had Simon had to watch his parents die?

"GET DOWN!" Corey roared in her soul. She dropped to the floor just as a flash of steel sliced off a few pieces of her hair that hadn't fallen quickly enough to escape death. The roof slid off the house and into the yard. The room cut slanted, leaving the tallest part of the room the farthest in corner.

"This is ridiculous. How strong is he?" Britney muttered. Corey didn't answer as he vibrated in her hands.

She shook her head as she dashed to the opposite corner and launched herself into the open air. The giant looked up just as a size seven women's sneaker planted itself on its face, then another over its eye. It howled as Britney let the chain extend to loop around its neck several times before she slid down it's back. She stopped a foot or so off the ground, the chain soon adjusting and growing another five feet. She hit the ground running, her shoes digging into the ground as she pulled madly on one chain and stabbed the giant's legs with the other. The giant had one hand in the chain around its neck and the other blindly swatting at her.

"Feet! Feet!" Corey yelled.

Britney nodded, stabbing it in the foot as far as the blade would go. The giant howled and fell back on it's rear, forcing Britney to dive back. She rolled, hitting something and stopping. She looked up into the red eyes of a small Kishin in the shape of a giant dog.

"Oh dear." She muttered as it opened it's mouth to strike.

She stabbed it and ripped upward, it melting away as she scrambled to her feet. Just noticing the other gathering Kishin, she couldn't just focus on the giant now… She dropped to the ground as one dove for her and another landed on top of her, followed by two more piling up on her. She wheezed out a breath and cursed.

"Too…..many…." She ground out as she saw out out of the corner of her eye raise a large axe. "No time… to …. move." She muttered as she closed her eyes and listened to Corey's shouts and the music from his soul.

The axe descended, Corey screamed for her to move, but at the same time, a loud whoosh was heard as something flew by and smashed into a wall. Combat boots hit the ground next to Britney's head and a familiar voice cursed.

"Fucking dumbass." She muttered as she spun and roundhouse kicked the Kishin off Britney.

Britney smiled, "Thanks Rei." She said as she got up.

Rei snorted, clearly not in a good mood. "Freaking team mission, four man unit and you try to do it alone. I swear I'm kicking your ass when we get home. Both of your asses actually." She muttered as she ducked and sent a Kishin spinning into a wall as she blasted it with her soul wave length.

Britney smiled, "Thanks. Wanna help?" She giggled. Rei rolled her eyes. "I'm here. Aren't I?" She replied with a small grin. Behind them the giant got to its feet, five extra Kishin roared and Corey was laughing at the two. "Well start the party!" Corey yelled as Britney and Rei raced through the Kishin for the giant again.

Rei jumped, her hand crackling with blue lightning as she danced around the giant, carefully observing it's battling as Britney kept its attention and dealt with the smaller Kishin with ease. She back flipped over a piece of rubble to avoid the gunfire of one of the Kishin whom seemed to have guns built into its arms and fired from its finger tips. Soon after she saw it a slim chain whipped around it and yanked it over to Britney who cleanly it in half as she moved to avoid the giant fist.

"Favoring it's left side, slow moving, seems to only see roughly 95 degrees with mid-point eyes. Makes of for this with abnormal head movements." Rei paused as it rotated its head to her and twisted it back to see Britney lashing out at its arms. "Massive strength….scar on its chest… doesn't like Britney getting close to it. And it's right above the earlier wound….seems to be using the sword as a blocking device mostly…." Rei trailed off as her mind quickly worked a plan.

"Anything?" Britney called as she rolled under its feet and slashed it's under foot.

"Scar on its right pectoral! Above the music note! It shouldn't take much just try to skewer it all the way through!" Rei called, "I'll be a decoy!" She said as she dashed up, directing a shocking blast of wavelength into its thigh and quickly darting away.

Britney nodded. The scar was so small if Rei hadn't told her about it she would have missed it. It seemed like Corey had left an impression. She smiled and sent a burst of her soul to Corey as they started up a Resonance. This one would have to make a bigger dent.

Rei swore as she wove through the giant's attacks. This was a bit annoying, not doing too much damage and being forced to wait on Britney. She needed a weapon. Jericho would do nicely. She glared at the giant. One move and it would be dead, yet she couldn't do it! It frustrated her to no end.

"Soul Resonance. " Britney breathed as she felt Corey's music wash over her. The glowing swords in her hand throbbing with the music.

The giant glanced at the new source of light and swung the sword. Rei's eyes widened a fraction of an inch. She hadn't thought the giant would use the sword as an offence weapon, he'd only used it up till now to deflect Britney's attacks. This wasn't in her plan.

Britney ran forward, the twin blades crossed as they met the sword, sparks flying for a moment before the victor became clear. Britney smiled as she landed on the severed blade, the other half in the dirt, the giant confused as he still held the sword that she was currently running on.

"Your soul is mine!" Britney yelled as she plunged the twin swords into it's chest, the swords throbbing once more as their soul wavelength blew out the back of the giant, leaving a gaping hole. She yelled as she fell and the giant toppled over on her.

Instead of getting squished however a messy tangle of blue, almost black hair loomed over her as he managed to keep the giant's body up until it melted away into dark matter, leaving behind a tasty soul. Corey smiled and held out his hand.

"Thanks, partner." He said as she took it and he pulled her up onto her feet. Behind them Rei snorted and tossed them the soul. "Thanks Rei, couldn't have done it without you." He added as he caught the giant soul and stared at it. He shook his head. "To think I went through all this trouble for you Simon. Geez. Can't even share the memory…can I?" Corey muttered sadly.

Britney and Rei stared at Corey until her slowly pushed the soul into his I-pod. The system blazing and flashing red and black before returning to its normal silver and blue design. Corey then stuffed the item into his pocket and jammed in his headphones as he looked at the rundown house that once belonged to his bestfriend.

"Dam." He muttered, "Dam you Simon Cross for not being a smarter man. And Dam me straight to hell for not being a better weapon." He growled as he clenched his fist.

"Corey" Britney said, "Simon might not be able to tell you this right now, but I can. And I'd like to say, you're the best weapon I could ever ask for." Britney said as she smiled. Corey sighed, rubbing at his eyes (he will forever deny that he cried) and shot her a smile back.

"Let's ditch this dump." Corey said, strolling out of the backyard and down the street.

Some memories can be resolved. And some can't. Some memories are best left in the past. But there are some….that you just have to rush straight forward and take on no matter what. And if you need a friend to help you face it…then they'll always be there, always to the end.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*In~Death~City~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"What!?"Kidd yelled, pressing the phone harder against his ears.

"There's a student in the hospital. It's the meister of the pair we sent to New York. Jason Hutchins to be exact." Maka replied. "He says he needs to speak to you right now. Well, a Shinigami, he wasn't specific." Maka muttered as an afterthought.

"I'll be right there." Kidd said, summoning the skateboard he still used when he was in a hurry.

It took him less than a minute to get from his house to the DWMA hospital room, although he'd have to go back and straighten some of the paintings he might have knocked out of perfect symmetry, a student's life was at stake and a painting could wait. (He resolved to rectify his despicableness and treason as soon as this matter was over). He burst into the room, the skateboard left out in the hall way and his clothes slighty messy from the breakneck speed he'd used in the hallways.

"What's the emergency!" He demanded as he looked at Jason Hutchins.

Jason was lying on the hospital bed. Patches of his skin were burnt and he had a nasty cut on his head. His hair was wild and messy, parts of it smoking and uneven, as if someone had thought it would be funny to lit bits of it on fire. His eyes were wide, desperate and scared, as if the world was crumbling to pieces and only he could see it. Beside him Stein was working on the burns, Kidd heard Stein mutter something close to 'fascinating these are practically all 3rd degree burns….' The rest of Jason that wasn't burnt seemed to be tanned and peeling with a few blisters mixed in here and there.

"Lord Death….." Jason coughed as he sat up in the bed.

Instantly Maka had his hand, which was wrapped in layers of gauze along with most of his other arms. This hand seemed to be the worst burn area. Gauze was practically two inches thick from what Kidd was guessing and making him wonder why Stein didn't make it equal by making it 8 inches (eight is no symmetrical and therefore must be the numeral 8 and not typed out in proper English) thick.

"It's fine, please, what is it you wished to inform me?" Kidd asked, crouching at the students bed.

"It's…. Jericho…he's…." Jason wheezed and coughed.

"Water get him some water." Stein snapped.

"He's had four glasses in the last minute. His bladder will explode." Soul commented from the corner. Maka shot him a glare to which Soul instantly stiffened and shot out of the room to fetch a glass of water. He was back a moment later.

Jason drank, carefully with Maka's help with the glass. He gasped and continued with slightly better efforts to speak. "Jericho made … a bet with … the devil….he's…demon." Jason ground out. "Unleash by…the witch….. in …..New York…." He swallowed. "Help.. him…" He said.

Kidd froze. Jericho Peront had transferred from the Tokyo district for damage of the city in the cost range of the hundred thousands of yen. Now he saw why. The damage had been done when he was roughly seven, give or take a year or so, the report wasn't specific. Jericho had somehow made a contract with the devil himself, and now the demon inside was on the loose. In New York of all places.

"Shit." Kidd muttered.

A moment pasted by, interrupted by Stein's musings before Kidd snapped into action. "Maka, Soul suit up! Get Patty and Liz down here this instant! I was Black*Star and Tsubaki within the next five minutes! I don't give a dam if they a sleeping or what! Someone get Spirit and notify my father! Contact all meisters and weapons on the Eastern Coast less than three stars to stay away from the north! All three stars and above move to the surrounding area of New York! Do not engage the demon! If he attacks then retreat to a safe distance. Stein see if you can make an ointment from intensive burns within the hour and have it mass produced to the squads going! MOVE DAMNIT!" Kidd barked, rushing out of the room to probably get Liz and Patty himself.

"LORD DEATH!" Jason yelled!

Kidd stopped and turned around. "Yes Jason." He said, addressing the boy in a calm tone even though his insides were frantically trying to organize plans and squads into the safest maneuvers.

Jason smiled, his chapped lips cracking and bleeding. His nose peeling. "Don't worry about it. Just call up my team. We got this." He laughed.

Kidd frowned and gestured at Maka. "Call them. Now."

Maka smiled, she knew that look Jason had. She knew it all to well. It wasn't stupidity, it wasn't overconfidence. It wasn't a foolish or a mad look, it wasn't insanity behind those eyes. It was courage. And she knew courage all to well. She knew courage came from the heart and she didn't even have to asked why. Because courage was courage, no matter who had it. And Courage could let you do amazing things. That she knew all to well.

She smiled and pulled out her phone. "You have a mission." She said calmly into the line.

**OH MY MIDGET TINY FLYING JESUS OF THE GOD ABOVE GET REI OFF OF ME! I SWEAR! I'M SORRY FOR THE LATE UPDATE YOU CAN SHOOT ME IF YOU LIKE AS KIDD WOULD SAY I'M A DESPICABLE PERSON AND I SHOULD DIE( Symmetry breakdown haha) Yeah so. I'm sorry. I had Christmas stuff….. sorry. But who cares if I'm currently missing a spine, liver, one of my kidney's and a lung? I have the other ones? Right…? *dies with soul still typing for fear of character* Anyway I'm sorry and I'll try to update faster. And yes nother cliffy! Haha! I'mma horrible tease.**

**Read, Review. Or I'll sick a Jericho deprived Rei on you. (If she'll get off of me) Or I'll just throw my other kidney, depends on if I still have my hands tomorrow lol. But serious. Help. Please.**


	13. Authors Note (Srry for the excitement)

**Author's Note**

**Hey guys sorry to get you all excited going "HEY THIS IDIOT UPDATED OH MY GOD" Just had to make a note and tell you guys about the poll I currently have up on my profile. It's about Corey and Carter's last names, I might do another one later for Britney and June since I haven't done anything in their background. So far I have 2 pages typed for the next chapter and am debating on if I should shoot in a short about the team at the beach in a large house with romance laced in there or just do the main story. Anyways, excuse me, comment your thought and any good ideas you have for June or Britney's past. I have a few… hehe… but I'm also interesting to see what you guys can come up with. Also hopefully I'll have the next chapter up within two weeks. I know that a long dead line (not as long as last time :/ sorry) but I also have four projects. Two English, One History and another about Nation History so ugh. Anyway, you know the deal. And I'm debating on added another set, just mentioning it since two more characters annoyingly came into existence in my skull. One of which came from my name. ShadowedSword21/13 (I switch it up sometimes) and I randomly decided, "Hey this dude is going to be a shadow (literally). And then I was watching something and saw a chick with white hair and went "I never had a white haired character….. that'd be fun" So…. Yeah…. Say hi to Shadow and Snow. Snow is actually the more aggressive one of the two (yes she's a girl) while Shadow can act a bit flirty, but he's really kinda shy. (around girls a bit like Jason, just no fainting, just a bit nervous unless he know's they're taken/dating someone/ some has an eye on them) Well…. Tell me if I should throw them in later, and beach or story? That's it. Thanks for everything and Rei is currently satisfied since I reassured her she will have Jericho back by the end on next chapter. ….yeah….end of next chapter…..**


	14. Restoring Fighting Spirit

**Laptop broke (This is actually my brother's laptop don't ask) but yet ligament reason I'm late this time. Had half of it typed out and then BAM laptop broke and I didn't back it up so. Joy. Yeah. Anyway. "Shut up and start. I wanna hurry this up so June can-" Shut it Carter. Sorry moving on.**

**Chapter 12 (whatever)**

**Fighting Spirit**

"You have a mission." The calm clear voice rang through the phone as Carter pressed it closer to his ear to block the wind.

"Sup Maka." He replied, glancing down to look at the blushing girl he currently had sitting in his lap. "What's the deal?"

"Yeah. As much as I like getting souls, I'm coming back from a heavy little job right now." Corey's voice rang through the line, huh, so it was a conference call. Carter smiled.

"You have a mission."Maka repeated. Corey was quite, and Carter knew better than to say something else by the tone in her voice. "Good." She said, "now that you understand the urgency. I'll explain." There was a lengthy pause before she continued. "Jason Hutchins has been recovered from the field. He's been badly wounded in a fight with pair of witches and a demon. The witches are of no concern. It's the demon the mission is for."  
>Corey shook his head.<br>"This is a team mission to defeat and sedate the Fire Demon Jericho Peront! I want him unconscious and by this time tomorrow. Jason trusts you to carry out this mission and I have the full expectation that you will be able to do so. If you are not then you will be reprimanded." Maka snapped into the phone. "That is the mission. Do you accept?"

"YES MA'AM!" Carter, Corey and Rei's voice barked into their phones.

"Good." Maka said, snapping her phone shut.

She looked smugly at Kid. "told you they'd handle it." She said as she walked out of the hospital room. Waving goodbye to Jason and beckoning Soul with a mischievous smirk. Kid was left speechless as his team leader waltzed out the door to go 'play' with her fiancé. "You've got to be shitting me!" he muttered.

"Leave it to the team Kid!" Maka shouted from outside. "Go fix your paintings!"

Kid twitched. And gritted his teeth. Paintings, or fixing a life or death situation he might be able to salvage in forty minutes? He picked the paintings.

Carter's phone rang again and he answered it. "Yo?" He said.

"Carter this is Corey. I have Rei and Britney we've set a meeting place in Kentucky. Meet us their in nine hours and then we'll plan out something over dinner. In the mean time I've got to subdue a PMSing Rei since she's raging about her demonic boyfriend who apparently lit her pants on fire when she came over. Hey! So that's why she's wearing loose black jeans! That makes sense no-" The rest of Corey's sentence was cut off as the phone was dropped, probably because he got either a boot or a wavelength in the face.

Carter grinned and shook his head. He looked down to see June had turned from blushing-cute-girl to – game-face and was now bent low over Smoke and looking back at him annoyed. She gestured at the horse before saying, "He won't respond to me."

Carter shook his head. "That's because he's my horse. And this is my ride." He leaned closer. "And my girl." Then he grinned as the blush on her face returned. Before she could muster a retort he clicked his heels against Smoke's side and whistled. Smoke snorted and bucked, rearing up and circling around to the East. They had a trio of idiots to collect before they could knock some sense into Jericho.

~*~Eight and a half Hours later~*~

"Where the hell are they!" Carter snapped as he glanced north toward New York. He gritted his teeth as he checked his watch impatiently. He glanced at June who was calmly eating a roast beef sandwich and sipping her tea.

He tightened his hands into a fist and paced up and down the street. Corey was on Jericho's motorcycle, it had more than enough horsepower to haul three people to Kentucky, Lexington in nine hours. Where are they!?

He growled as he heard the familiar ground shaking rumble of Jericho's motorcycle as it rounding the corner. "YOU'RE LATE YOU ASSHOLE!" He shouted at Corey. He quickly walked forward at Corey parked the bike on the curb and Rei and Britney jumped off. "Why are you late? This is not only a mission ,but a mission where Jericho's life is at stake." Carter growled menacingly.

Corey sighed. "Carter. Would you calm down. We're actually thirty minutes early." He showed him his watch. Carter scowled and walked to the table June was sitting at and crossed his arms.

"What's Carter's deal?" Britney asked Corey as the arriving trio walked into Subway. "I've never seen him that pissed."

Corey order and leaned against the wall. "Carter has a bit of a completion about his friends where if anyone of them is in danger, he would literally lose an arm for them*and since Jericho is Carter's old partner, it's even worse. I'd bet if June was in danger he'd literally rip apart the continents to save her." Corey explained as he watched Rei join Carter and June at their table.

Britney nodded. "So he'd do this for all of his friends?" She raised an eyebrow and looked at Corey. "Would you?"

Corey rolled his eyes and reached behind Britney. "What do you think strawberry?" He asked as he grabbed her bra strap and quickly pulled it back and released it. Britney yelped as he did this and then glared and punched him. Hard. Corey winched.

Their orders were quickly filled out and they joined Carter, June, and Rei outside. They were sketching battle plans on a napkin. Corey analyzed it. He pointed at his marking. "That won't work." He said.

Rei glared at him, clearly meaning it was her idea. He tensed for a wavelength and a brick wall, but it never came as she hunched over and hugged her head with her arms. Corey closed his eyes and sighed. He looked at June for help, but she had turned to her sandwich and Carter was making his own plans.

"Rei. Come on." Corey said, walking around her and tapping her shoulder.

Rei stood up, knocking her chair over. "Leave me alone!" She snapped.

The group was quiet as they look at her bewildered.

Rei had officially snapped. Her eyes were dark and her teeth were clenched as she looked at the group. Corey sighed and let his shoulder droop.

"Rei cool it. We'll get your boyfriend back. I mean come on. Demons aren't every day enemies. I feel special." Carter said. "sides, we have you to knock some sense into him don't we?" He grinned and looked at her.

"IDIOT!" She snapped, slapping Carter to hard his drink sloshed out of his mouth.

"Hey!" Carter growled, standing up. "We're just as worried about Jericho as you are but He can handle himself! He's not a kid! So don't go starting a fight just because you don't want you precious little boyfriend getting hurt!" Carter's sandwich was now clenched into pieces as he gripped it.

Rei snarled and surged forward to hit him again but Corey stepped in and grabbed her shoulders. "REI!" HE shouted. His eyes glared down at her in a hard, stern manner. "Quit it. We have plans to work out." He said, pushing her away and sitting down at a table with his food.

Rei was quiet from a minute before she mumbled. "plans?" Carter stiffened. "Plans?" She gritted her teeth. "How do you expect to beat a sixty foot tall demon that possessed my boyfriend with plans!" She snapped.

Carter grinned and took a sip from his drink. "Same way we always do."

Rei whirled on him. "THE WAY YOU DO THING IS BY WINGING IT AND HOPING FOR THE BEST! YOU CAN'T EVEN ACE A TEST WHEN YOU STUDY!"

June sighed and resumed eating her sandwich. "That's Carter. Duh." She answered.

"And you!" Rei snapped, rounding her assault to June. "You're 5'1! You're failing half your classes and you can't even plan better than your partner who doesn't plan at all!"

Corey shook his head. "Well that's the way we work." He took a huge bite of his sandwich and a swig from his coke. "We don't usually do plans."

Rei was furious! Here she was, trying to rectify and help these idiots out and they were eating lunch! "You dumbasses!" She shouted. "Carter and June aren't even a proper two star team! Between them they've averaged out a seventy in grades and according to Stein Carter's weapon form isn't even stable! Then you!" She jabbed a finger at Corey. "I bet you can't even make a plan with your freaking shitty headphones in! You never take anything seriously! I JUST helped you kill a monster Kishin and you're joking about it on the ride here! You can just die! You're not even a useful weapon, who the hell wants a chain?! I can pull one off a construction site that's better than you! I just saved your partner! You can't even do that right! Who the HELL do you think you guys are!?" Rei snapped, glaring at them.

Carter's cup slammed down, startling Rei. Carter grinned and got up. He flexed and stretched before walking towards Smoke. June followed him. "Who do we think we are?" He asked. He yawned as Corey revved the motorcycle as he got on. "Who the hell do you think you are?" He asked. " I know exactly who we are." He cracked his knuckles. "We're saving your dumbass boyfriend. Same thing we always do, same way we always do. Nothing out of the schedule here." Carter said.

Corey shrugged. "We're just going on a mission. We're weapons. We're meisters and we're doing a mission. The mission might be as stupid as getting a kitten or as hard as killing a demon. It's still a job and we're here to do it. We've signed our death warrants as soon as we set foot in that school. This is just an extra day we get to fight. A bird doesn't question whether it can fly or not before it dives off a branch so neither do we. If we fall, we fall, but we'll make a helluva mess on the way down." Corey smiled as he revved the bike louder and louder.

"And if we fly. Well, we'll still make a hell of a show!" June laughed.

Rei's jaw hit the floor. Here they were, fighting something that charred two witches and burnt Jason to a near crisp when it first arrived as if they were picking up milk at grandma's house. They acted like it was nothing. She balled her hands up into fists. "Why do you try so hard?" She asked.

It was Carter who answered. "Because he's my friend. And he was my partner. Everyone here can say that, even you. And the way I see it. All I have to do is go beat the shit out of my dumbass friend because he went and did something stupid." Carter chuckled and glanced at Corey. "Remember that time he cheated those mafia guys out of their money in that game of Blackjack? Funniest gig ever."

"So." Britney said, holding out her hand. "You coming?"

Rei looked at her. She stared into Britney's eyes. They returned the glaze with a kind, but determined fire than warmed Rei to the bone. Rei smiled. "Like I'd let you beat my boyfriend on your own." She clasped Britney's hand and pulled herself onto the back of the bike.

"When our time is up. When our lives are do~ne. Will we say we've had… our fun? Will we make a mark this time? Will we always say we tried?" Corey sang as he turned up the volume.

"YOU KNOW IT!" Carter, June and Britney cried as both Smoke and the motorcycle surged forward to New York and Jericho alike.

**Bah know you guys hate me for such a short chapter but my dad is actually forcing me to 1) no Xbox or whatever. 2) I have to have a chapter of this story I did a night/week. So either this will make me update like crazy since I'll get bored or I'll be spamming my keyboard to type up this story I have. Anyway. Thanks for being patient. Sorry for the short chapter. Love you all ^_^ Till next time. Sorry no fight scene and tell me if I got Rei right. **


	15. One Good Man And a Pair of Pants

**Hehe had to make you wait, build suspense or something like that. ^_^ Anyway, thanks guys, for all your support up to now, and enjoy the chapter. I'm actually kinda proud of the ideas I have going into this one hehe.**

**Chapter 13**

**One Good Man**

**(and a burnt pair of pants)**

"How much longer!?" Carter yelled over the wind as Smoke galloped through the countryside next to a loud rumbling motorcycle.

Corey glanced at Carter with an eyebrow raised, but none the less he straightened his leg and fished out his I-pod. He tapped it; it read 2:34 a.m. He repeated the numbers to Carter before jamming the device back into his pants pocket. His eyes stung from the wind and his lips were now chapped. Britney was asleep curled up behind him, her arms wrapped around his chest. Rei was barely awake, the surge of energy she had before now gone. He checked June's status, and smiled when he did. June was curled up in Carter's lap (he'd put her there for a reason) and was currently drooling into Carter's shoulder as he kept an arm around her. He snorted.

"Only a couple more minutes Carter, then Jericho will be fine." He yelled to Carter. Carter nodded, and nudged Smoke onward, even going as far as to pull out an apple and throw it in front of Smoke. Smoke shot forward and Corey grudgingly looked down at the motorcycle. The speedometer was at its max, but it was Jericho's so he doubted that was accurate. He twisted the handle and the motorcycle's engine roared and sped up, barely keeping pace with the Death Horse.

Carter looked up into the sky, the dark clouds of ash and smoke had been above them since they hit the West Virginia and recently the air had been getting hotter. He'd also noticed that there was a small inkling blue light ahead of them. He had shaken it off at first, a streetlight, but it didn't get any bigger and he was starting to wonder if Jericho's flames were really that big. He tugged nervously at his collar. Could they really win? He shook it off and cranked up his music.

Smoke weaved through the countryside like he was meant to be there. And while it wasn't exactly cut and dry forest farmland, Smoke took every bump in stride while Jericho's motorcycle would probably need a new pair of shocks after this was over. Corey gestured to Carter and it took a moment before Carter realized what Corey wanted. They had been following the blue light for a while, and had crossed a handful of roads, but a road would be more effective. Carter nodded and they veered right, following a handful of clues that included hunting trails and houses until they pinpointed a suitable road that would take them straight to Albany New York. Or at least, sorta there. It was highway 88 and it was the best road Corey could find that had speed limits were he could either weave around traffic without scaring someone because he was going roughly two hundred fifty miles an hour racing a horse that could probably go three hundred.

The road stretched on for a while. And he got bored. Rei woke up briefly for a moment, asking if he wanted to swap and sleep, he refused. If he fell off not even Carter could catch him in time and he'd be a nice pretty blood smear on the asphalt. Carter rode on the grass slopes, which although hindered Smoke, allowed him to keep up when he had to pass a car, or a set of cars, or the whole highway. He was beginning to realize just how fast he really was going.

An hour later, he realized two things. One, his pants were going to sizzle off because of the heat of this bike, and two, the blue flare in the sky was bigger. He exchanged a glance with Carter, who had pulled off his jacket and stuffed it in a saddle bag. Corey wiped his brow and realized he was sweating. He frowned. They weren't even in the city limits and they were sweating! What happens when Jericho needs a good punch in the face? They turned on to the Albany State Thruway and the traffic vanished. The blue flare on the other hand, got brighter and the temperature soared so much Corey pulled out a pair of goggles to keep the sweat out of his eyes. He shook his head and sweat drops flew around. Jericho sure could turn the heat up on ya.

He almost missed the sign. Almost ran smack into the DWMA meister too, thankfully the guy had sense enough to plant the sign in the road to where Corey had slowed down a bit. He still had to slam on the brakes, but at least he didn't flip the bike. Rei woke with the squealing brake and Britney woke to a screaming Rei. Carter however barreled past them and had to turn around since Smoke had literally kicked up smoke riding down the side of the road.

"Two star meister Corey Rhyme and Britney Williams along with Two star meister Carter Lance and June… Delilah? Young." The meister seemed confused by June's middle name.

"Wait wait wait." Carter said, stepping forward. "June's middle name is Delilah? You're kidding right?" He looked at June, who was still asleep on Smoke.

The meister nodded. "According to the reports sent to us by Shinigami-sama."

Carter chuckled. "Okay, fine. So I'll take it you're part of the recon and restraining group." The meister nodded. "Nice to know. What advice can you give us. We're here for the assault."

The meister looked them over. "Follow me." He turned and walked off the highway, through a patch of woods and into a small urban house. He gestured at a stack of bags. "The demon, Jericho, I've been told, has been contained along Madison Street. I don't think he'll stay there long though. He's pushing at the boundaries and meister pairs are constantly coming in with burns to be treated. Melee fighters can't even hit him because it causes the weapon to dehydrate almost instantly and then they're also burnt. I can't tell you much more, except to be careful. Some of the places on the ground have heated to the point where they might actually melt your shoes. Other than that. I have nothing, but his current location. He's settled into the intersection of Madison and Swan Street."

Corey nodded. "That's all we need." He glanced at the others and said. "Let's start this fight."

Carter woke June and after a series of house checks, they found a shower, showered and got dressed in clothes that DWMA had provided. Corey shook his damp hair and grinned. He always liked his hair a bit wild, but Britney made him comb it flat, now it was spiked up everywhere like Soul's, the smile grew.

The clothes had been marked 'Battle gear', battle gear his ass. He was dressed in a black T-shirt with a red tie and jeans. The belt he had seen in his dream was there, little short swords connected to the chain as it went from belt loop to belt loop. This had to be a joke. Briteny had on a red shirt and a black skirt for Death's sake, if this wasn't a joke or a prank on him he didn't know what was.

He shook his head. "Come on guys!" He yelled as he walked out of the house. Everything was spot on from the dream. The asphalt was cracked and blistering in places, Carter had on a mischievous determined smirk and Rei seemed to be itching for a fight and he had to admit, he was itching for one too.

"Excuse me." A voice said. Corey turned around and smiled. "One, Stein says you still have to do your homework. Two. We're offering support." Then the weapon bowed. "Hope you'll tolerate a three star team."

Corey stared, blinking a couple times before he fully recognized them. It was the school's ace team. The odd weapon named Shadow, and Freed, and then his meister, Snow. Corey smiled. " Glad to have you Shadow. You ready?"

Shadow stuck his hand out, and Corey grasped it, squeezing it tightly before he released it. Then Shadow turned and faced the city. "Let's move out. We only have a couple minutes before Jericho breaks the blockade that we set up and then he's going to wreck the whole east coast, at least. So we need to stop him, but that's your job, I'm here to take out anything extra. Witches, extra Kishin, etcetera, etcetera." Shadow then whistled and his meister pulled up in a white Porsche.

"you have got to be kidding me." Corey muttered as he eyed the small white haired girl in the driver's seat. "She's hot." Shadow turned at him and smirked. "She's mine." He then hopped into the car and then the car was gone, leaving a trail of dust on the asphalt.

"Come on Corey, let's go, stop daydreaming." Carter said, slapping Corey's back.

Corey straightened up and then turned around. A minute later they had all assembled on their appropriate vehicles and were roaring down the road at speeds that would make Soul jealous. Corey weaved through a series of parked cars and then under a large 18 wheeler. He scowled as the chassis nicked his hair, couldn't they park in a more orderly manner? He twisted the throttle and sped up. The temperature increased as they came closer. The asphalt bubbled in some places, the grass turned black before it ended and they were in the city. The heat was horrid there.

Cars were slumped with pools of rubber were the tires had been. Smoke seemed to whine after each block because of his hooves. The motorcycle seat was hotter and Corey could swear buildings were starting to melt. The belt heated up, searing his jeans where they touched. This might be trouble.

"Corey, Jericho's straight ahead." Rei informed him and he maneuvered around the parked cars. He looked up and couldn't help but whistle and let his jaw drop.

He'd known Jericho would be in a giant form, but giant was an understatement. He flexed his muscles, wondering if he could even match the behemoth in strength now. Probably not. He grinned, always standing on the edge of death, that, was the way he rolled. He laughed a small part of him worried. He pushed the doubt aside. He had his team, he had his partner, but more importantly, he couldn't let a friend down. And Jericho still owed him from that bet.

"You ready?" Britney said in his ear. Corey grinned. "I'm always ready."

"He's on the move! Careful!" Shadow yelled. Corey glanced around and then found Snow crouched on a rooftop, fighting a pair of flaming creatures with a wicked black scythe that looked like it belonged to the Grim Reaper himself. Huh, so Shadow was a scythe, interesting.

Corey stood up on the bike, shedding his human skin as he became a weapon. Britney leaned forward, snatching the dual short-sword out of the air as she took over the bike controls. Rei leaned forward, tightening her grip on Britney's belt. Corey let out a tense breath as he rested in his soul.

"You ready guys?" He asked as he felt the song start even as they rode.

"What do you think idiot?" Carter asked as he too changed into his weapon form and June stepped forward, catching the broadsword and guiding Smoke behind the motorcycle.

Corey smiled. "Then let's knock some sense into the asshole who took away my resting time." He laughed a bit. He'd once been told death smiles at everyone. If that was the case, then he would smile back.

The motorcycle jumped as it hit a crack in the street. Britney twisted in the seat, flipping off the bike as it flipped through the air and crashed onto the sidewalk. June extended a hand, grabbing Britney and throwing her up as Rei swung onto the back of Smoke. Britney twirled the shortsword.

"Chain Infinity!" Britney shouted as she whipped the chain forward, the shortsword extending before wrapping around a flagpole. She swung, her shoes scrapping against the asphalt as she continued.

A soul-piercing roar echoed through the air. The girls looked up as they saw Jericho. No longer was it there friend. Instead their friend had been turned into the monster that they now faced. The only frame they could see was the scorched black skeleton that was cloaked in blue flames. It's eye sockets were filed by a glowing yellow eye. June smiled.

"Anyone up for smores?" She asked as Smoke jumped smoking wreckage.

Rei laughed nervously as she looked at the demon. Could they really beat it? It was almost three stories tall and the air was so hot she was a bit scared her hair would catch on fire. She shivered and wiped the sweat out of her eyes. June glanced back at her and Rei shot her a weak smile as she stared into the determined blue orbs.

June opened her mouth, but it was lost as the demon screeched and a blast of fire came from its maw. June and Rei dove off Smoke as the fire engulfed the demon horse. The moment the fire stooped Smoke snorted and shook himself. He shot a glare at the two girls before turning and racing off down the road.

"Well, he's not too happy." Carter muttered from the blade as June stood up.

"You're kidding right? I almost get scorched and you're worried about your horse?" June scowled as she bolted forward.

"If you were in any real danger do you think I would be sitting in this weapon?" He asked. June sighed, he had a point there.

June looked up as she tightened her grip on the broadsword. Britney swung off of the chain, flipping through the air before coming up on the demon. She slashed, letting the chain out as the blade cleaved the bones in half. Corey felt hot inside the weapon, he growled, pushing the pain away. As Britney fell away June came up, pushing off of Britney's crossed arms and leveling out at the demon's head. She slashed, cutting through the flames and digging into the skull. The blade stopped however and she pushed harder to no avail. The flames wrapped around the sword, burning her hands.

June screamed, letting go of the blade. She turned, hugging her hands close to her chest. The demon turned, a large skeletal hand coming up. June's eyes widened and she crossed her arms to guard. However suddenly she felt a pair of arms wrap around her. The hand hit and she heard ribs crack and a sharp growl.

She hit the ground and rolled, her protector rolling with her before they slammed into a wall. She heard the person groan before she was released from their grasp. She quickly twisted to see her protector. Her eyes widened as she saw none other than her own partner.

"Carter!" She yelled, stumbling towards him as he staggered to his feet. He smiled with a painful expression and then his eyes widened.

Carter caught June, picking her up and throwing her to the side as fireball hit where she had been. June's mouth fell open as she stared into the blaze. "CARTER!" She screamed as she watched the building start to melt and drip into the inferno.

Rei rushed forward, scooping up June before the demon could attack again. Britney on the other hand was busy attacking the demon at its ankles. Rei slung June over her shoulder as she dashed into a department store. She threw the small girl into a wall, snapping her out of it.

"June!" Rei snapped. "What are you doing!?"

June stared at Rei. "I'm crying! What do you think I'm doing? My partner just died! Am I supposed to celebrate!"

Rei let out a sigh. "And my partner is a giant demon who might die because he's made a contract with the devil himself. The point is, we both know that our partners going to be there. And I can almost guarantee that carter is alive."

June sucking in a ragged breath before she shouted. "You don't get it! I may act tough! I may look unscarred but the only reason is because I know Carter will always protect me! Now I've screwed up so bad he had to die to protect me! It's my fault! I can't even tell him the one thing I want to! I can't even tell him that I love him!"

"Uh. Don't mean to interrupt her." A voice said as a black haired weapon walked out of the shadows. "But you kinda just did." Then Shadow produced a slightly worse-of-wear Carter who now had half his shirt burnt off and a small smile plastered on his face.

"Carter!" June cried, tackling her partner off his feet.

"June, June, June come on." Carter said, he laughed a bit as hugged her before his expression became darker. "We have a mission," then he smiled, and leaned a bit close "then, I can spell my name in hickies all over you." June instantly turned the color of a firetruck.

"Ew." Shadow and Rei said, "didn't need to know that."

Carter grinned. "Shut up. Like Jericho won't do something worse to little miss combat boots over there." He winked and ruffled June's hair. "'Sides, that won't matter if we don't take care of him. And thanks Shadow. You really saved my hide there."

Shadow winked and saluted before taking a step back into the wall. And he disappeared into the shadows, just like his name. Carter whistled. "Nice exit there bro." He laughed and strangely enough a second laugh could be heard that sounded like Shadow's.

June smiled and extend her hand. "You ready partner." Carter grinned and leaned forward. "Always for you ya little midget." He said as he kissed her forehead. June blushed, but didn't have time to think about it as Carter transformed into the broadsword and the building exploded in as a fireball slammed into the side of it. Rei and June dashed out of the broken display onto the main street to see Britney swinging around Jericho on the chains.

Carter whistled from the blade. "Gotta give her props for improvising." He muttered.

Britney flipped off the chain and yanked, the shortsword retracted and as she shot past Jericho she swung the short by its chain, cutting the demon across its scorched ribs. Corey gritted his teeth in the blade passed through the flames.

"One last push!" Britney shouted as she spun in the air, using the other shortsword to grapple and swing over to June. She extended her hand and June jumped and grabbed it.

The chain retracted, picking up the speed of the swing and as they spun around the lamppost Britney let go, sending June in a spinning arc for Jericho. She smiled as she stopped her spin and balanced on the lamppost. Rei smiled. "Go get him." They said.

June smiled grimly. She felt her soul speed up and pulse in unison with Carter. She felt the wavelength quiet as she connected with Carter. She felt as sharp coolness to her movement and a streak of mischief pierce through her thoughts. She sensed the wavelength was right before the weapon even changed. She swung.

"WITCH SPLITTER!" She roared as the broadsword flashed white and then the already massive blade extended, slicing through the flames and cutting through the ribs of the demon. The demon froze as it's ribs fell away and the sound of a door opening was heard.

Then a visible shockwave erupted as it screamed. June covered her ears as the other girls did as well. They were blasted back down the street before slamming into the eighteen wheeler Corey had previously slide under. June gritted her teeth. "This isn't working. We need to attack as one. Not as an individual." She said, and a part of her realized Carter would have said something similar.

Britney nodded and stood up, rubbing her back. She took a deep breath as a the demon continued to scream. "Corey. You know what to do."

Corey grinned and snapped his finger. And then the room changed. No longer was he sitting in the black recliner with speakers lined around him. Instead he was in the one room he could visit only when the time was right. He chuckled to himself as he looked around.

The walls were black, the floor was a blue and red checkered, something so obnoxious only he could have it in his soul. Three doors were on each wall. The free wall was plain. And in the middle of the room was something that he'd only thought off occasionally. A set of drums, two guitars, a bass, and a microphone. He smiled and shivered. Goosebumps, he thought as he rubbed his arms.

"Let's get this party started." He said, walking up to the bass guitar.

Britney nodded as he started and Rei and June straightened up as they heard the guitar fill their minds. Their breathing slowed, the heat dwindled away to nothing. Corey closed his eyes as he pulled and pressed the strings. He was never good at piano. He was never good at drums. He couldn't even sing. But the bass, he had the rhythm for that and nothing could burn that away. Not life, not problems, not even his past. He took a deep breath and smiled. This felt right.

"Hey don't start the party without me." A familiar voice said as the door to Corey's left opened. Corey grinned. "I won't dream of if." He said as the person picked up one of the guitars and listened. Then the guitar joined the bass.

Carter grinned as he matched Corey note for note. It all fit together like a puzzle they had fit together millions of times. Every note complimented each other. And then the door to their right opened revealing a grinning black hair weapon. Shadow smiled.

"I hear you need another guitar." He said as he walked up onto the small stage and picked up. He strummed once, and then blended his notes together with Carter's as their guitars sang their songs.

Every note raised a goosebump as the girls walked forward, but something was missing. Something so important the song wasn't quite there. Not yet anyway.

June twirled the broadsword and Britney smiled. Rei cracked her knuckles. The demon shut its mouth as it felt the atmosphere change. It growled and waved its charred hand at them. The flames flickered and then brightened as small fiery monsters started clawing their way out of the flames. Rei whistled.

And then the monster were upon them as they stretched out their claws and their teeth to pierce. Flames licked at the girls boots as the boys played, and all the while they smiled. June nodded. "Let's go." She said calmly as she felt the broadsword shrink into the thin katana. She took a step forward. "Silent." And then she twisted around a blast of fire. "Strike." She finished, somehow behind three of the flame monsters who toppled over and burst into ashes.

Britney took a deep breath as she rolled under a clawed hand, slashing out at the attacker then letting the hilt slip out of her hand as she swung the blade with the chain, whipping it through the front line of the fire demons. Rei leapt over her, spinning under a series of bites, slashes and fireballs as she drove a blast of her wavelength into one of the demons who slammed into two others. They all burst into ashes.

"Can I join?" A girl asked as she dropped down off the rooftop, spinning and dropping through the ground, only to shoot up from under one of the flames, cleaving it in two with the massive black and silver scythe. She spun it and inhaled. "I'm Snow." She said tersely before spinning the scythe in an arc, slicing through three more flame demons and running in the middle of them. Britney grinned. "And let you show me up? Yeah right." She said, dashing after her.

June grinned as she rolled, dodged and slashed. She yelped she felt a searing hot claw burn straight through her clothing as the demon slashed at her stomach. She doubled over, holding the wound. She tightened the grip, at least it wasn't bleeding. She ducked the next slash and cut it in two. She winched. This battle wasn't going too well.

Rei back flipped over a fireball and landed behind it, delivering a blast into it's back that sent it exploding in ashes against the wall. A clawed hand grabbed her leg and she winched, clenching her teeth to cut off the scream as Britney came through the mob and sliced the demon into pieces. Rei gritted her teeth as she rubbed her leg.

"Third degree burns, I doubt it'd be good if you move it." Britney said. Rei scowled and continued fighting anyway.

Corey gritted his teeth. There was something missing. Something so important even with the three other them, one of which was a three star weapon, they couldn't replace. Something important not only to the team, but also the song.

"Hey guys." A voice said as the remaining door opened. "Hope you don't mind if I join in." Corey stopped playing and looked at the newest entrée. He grinned. "You sly bastard you." He gestured. "Come grab a song."

Jericho grinned. "I wouldn't miss helping my friends bet the shit out of myself." He said picking up the drumsticks. He sighed. "Tell June I said thanks okay? Ya know If I die? I'm only here because control loosened up enough for me to send you my soulwave length long enough for me to escape." He paused. "And tell Rei I love her."

Carter blinked and grinned, clasping him on the shoulder. "How about you tell her that yourself you dumbass. I'm not bailing you butt out of her wrath." He winked. "That's one fireball you'll have to handle yourself." He gestured. "Now I know a song we'll all love." He winked. "After all. We Are One." He said as he walked up to the microphone and took a deep breath.

( ww m/watc h?v=Q2pL F4V8Oc 0 Delete all spaces)

The girls took a breath and grinned. "Let's go." They said, dashing through them as their weapons glowed. Rei smiled as she leaned against a wall, taking in a deep breath. "So much for helping." She muttered bitterly as she listened to the music.

One after another the flame demons fell, all the while the massive smoldering skeleton watched with a toothy grin. The girls grinned. Britney ran up, throwing the sword up and wrapping it around a light pole. She grabbed June's hand as Snow vaulted onto the light pole with the scythe. Britney swung, throwing June up level with the demon's head as Snow pushed off the light pole and attacked it's ribs. The twin slashes coarsed through the demon, chipping away at the blackened bone, but it was all over too soon as it roared and a tail, a new addition, whipped out from behind it, smacking both of the attacking girls back. They yelped as they hit the ground, rolling to a halt at Rei's feet. Britney flipped off the light pole as the demon breathed a fire on it, melting it into a puddle of steel. Britney winched and backed up.

Snow's scythe morphed and Freed burst out of it in a dive. He hit the ground. And disappeared just like Shadow did, and then a fireball slammed into Britney's position. A moment later Freed climbed out of Snow's seemingly shadow, depositing a slightly scorched Britney, who's shirt sleeve was a blackened crisp and the skin on the shoulder a pinkish red. Freed bowed. "Close enough." He said, his voice exactly the same as Shadow's, before he jumped and turned into the black and silver scythe. Snow caught it, twirling it once as she addressed the newest group of flame demons as Britney set a hand to her head.

"We need a plan." She muttered looking around.

June nodded. "That's a given."

Britney growled and looked around. What could she do!? The blow had to be hard, fast and probably in the head! She growled. And that's where the flames were the most intense. Britney bit her thumb as she watched Snow.

Snow sprang over a demon, holding the scythe close as the blade sliced it in half. She spun, stabbing it into the ground and pulling back on the shaft. There was a momentary pause before it flexed and she released it, letting the shaft slam into an approaching demons head before snatching the weapon up, spinning and dispatching it with a horizontal slice. A mental lightbulb turned on.

Britney sat up and looked at the two light poles. "Got it. She threw the two short swords, wrapping them around the poles and making sure they'd stay. "Alright Corey. I what you to let out as much chain as you can, but keep it tight until I say so, then retract it all back as fast as you can."

Corey grimaced on the bass. 'This is going to hurt.' He thought as Britney started pulling the chain back. He winched, but kept playing guitar as he felt the chain stretch along with his soul. Britney looked at the chain, which was now stretched out over fifty feet. Britney grinned. "June. Rei, Get in this thing. I have a crazy idea." Britney yelled as she felt Corey pull the chain taunt.

June and Rei ran over and Britney explained. They shook their heads. "You're insane." Rei said with a small smile. "But nice plan." June said as she balanced on the chain. Rei climbed on beside her. The two girls smiled. "Good luck." They said to each other.

Britney grinned and released the chain. Corey stiffened as he played as the chain snapped back so fast he swore his soul just compacted itself. The lightposts bent as June and Rei shot off the chain and into the air. June spun, bringing the broadsword around as Rei maneuvered her feet onto the blunt end. June gave a small grunt of effort as she swung, shooting Rei off the sword at the demon's head.

'You only have one shot at this. He's sucking me back in.' Jericho said. The door he'd come through stared burning. 'If you don't get it in this shot. I'm gone.' He said. Rei gritted her teeth as she brought her hand back.

A flash of memories flickered in her eyes. Jericho at the beach, that first kiss, then chilling at his house later, the funny moments when he tickled her or the playful teasing. She gritted her teeth. "LIKE HELL YOU'RE TAKING HIM YOU UGLY SON OF A BITCH!" She yelled as the wavelength doubled in size, a blue coil wrapped around her arm. Then it seemed to morph, additional lines added before notes appeared on the coils. Then the notes seemed to flicker, flames added to it. "Give me back my boyfriend!" she cried as her clenched fist connected with the blackened smoldering skull.

The wavelength erupted off her arm, filling the air with music that gave her goose bumps as she fell. She smiled as she watched the skeleton crumble away to dust. She'd beaten the demon. But was Jericho back? She looked down, the ground was coming on fast now and she doubted anyone could get here in time. Her leg couldn't take the shock. She gritted her teeth and closer her eyes.

The explosion pushed her sideways and she felt a brief feeling of burning up before it was gone. She kept her eyes close. Then she heard sneakers scrapping against concrete, and they weren't her sneakers. She opened her eyes to see messy black hair and the trademark smirk that wasn't exactly mischievous, but hinted at a darker tone. She smiled.

Jericho smiled. "Hey babe." He said.

Rei blushed. "Hi." She said as he pulled her forward into a kiss. Britney grinned and nodded from the ground.

Carter smiled and looked over at June and then blushed and looked away. "Oh." He said. Not having realized that that last explosion did more than knock Rei into Jericho's arms. He looked down. Pants. Check. Shirt. No check. Shoes. No check. Socks? Nope. He sighed and covered his face as a blush came back. June scowled before a pair of jeans was thrust towards her. She pulled them on and checked herself. At least the bandages where still untouched.

She turned. "Who." She didn't even finish her sentence as she looked at Carter. "Oh." She said, blushing as she realized who's jeans she was wearing. "Thank you Carter." She said.

Carter waved it away. "Don't say anything." He advised as he stared down at his boxers. "I just hope Batman isn't watching." He said. June smiled and despite herself managed to laugh.

They'd gotten Jericho back, and although they'd accidently destroyed a portion of New York, the witches were incinerated and who'd be boring anyone anymore. The good part was Britney's clothes were left unsigned, so Corey was still alive and while Rei had been stripped, Jericho managed to summon up some clothes for her and look away at the same time. Although the broken nose says he peeked.

"See told you they'd get it done Kid." Maka said with a smirk.

Kid scowled. "They destroyed New York, neither of the two witches are confirmed dead and there are a dozen men with burns! Not including the team itself! How are you so calm!" He demanded as the door opened revealing Soul dressed in a tuxedo.

Maka smiled. "I believe in the next generation Kid. Simple as that." She smiled. "We have to trust them. It takes a good man to train the soldiers to fight. It takes a greater man to trust them to fight without question." She advised following Soul out the door.

Kid sighed and set his hands on the desk. "Maybe she's right." He muttered closing his eyes for a moment. "BUT THOSE KIDS BEAT HIM ASSYMETRICALLY! THE WAVELENGTH SHOULD BE ON TWO HANDS NOT JUST ONE!" He snapped!

Hehe Thanks for putting up with me guys. That's the main storyline. (not saying I won't occationally do pairing shorts after this.) But I enjoyed the ride ;P I hope you did too. Enjoy the songs and I hope I timed them correctly, but it's hard to tell when you're listening to them on repeat as you type. Haha. Rei got Jericho. Carter got June, but ya know what? I never did let Corey have his fun huh? Have to fix that won't I? Also I tried to get hte music right. But I read over it ... and uh... it all fit in the one play through .So sorry. I read fast. If it doesn't fit in one play, type in repeat after the you tube and BOOM it'll repeat forever. ;P Thank's guys. YOU KNOW THE DRILL! Review, enjoy, listen to happy music. ahaha

"So now what?" Britney asked as she stared at the ash piles. Carter and June filed past her, huh, Carter was wearing Batman boxers. She looked at Corey who was smiling.

"Well, let's plan for another generation. I think I've had enough fun for one year." He said slipping an ear bub into Britney's ear. He grinned and whispered the lyrics in her ear. "You're just the girl. I'm looking for." He smiled.

Britney blushed and sighed. "Corey you big idiot." She muttered standing on her tiptoes and kissing him slowly. She smiled and pulled away. "That's all you get since that's cheezier than a death's pizza." She winked and turned and ran down the street.

Corey sighed. "Can I get a break here?" He asked no one inparticular.

"Nope! Not a change blueberry!" Carter, Jericho, June and Shadow yelled. Carter smiled. "After all. What kinda team leader would you be if you didn't have a frustrating girlfriend?" Carter asked.

Corey rolled his eyes. "Shaddup."


	16. Ties (and why girls should wear them)

**Blame Angel this came out faster than it should have. ;P It's a collection of one shots all centered around one thing. And the title says it all. This is also based on a 2 am no sleep and the fact a girl stole one of my zip-up ties. (THOSE THINGS ARE FREAKING AWESOME) "Okay shut up and get this thing started. I've only had one kiss in this entire story" Shaddup Carter. Imagine Corey. "Fair enough." **

**Short 1  
>Ties<strong>

**Pair: Shadow and Snow**

Shadow hummed as he laid down on the couch. Freed was sleeping, it was early morning. He yawned. "Snow?" He called. "You ready yet?" He asked.

His partner came running in, her white hair still messy and the tips of it curled up. Shadow smiled. It was really cute. "No! I'm not!" Snow said as she passed. Shadow frowned and leaned forward and smirked. "I can't find anything!" She complained.

She stopped and looked at Shadow. "Freed hid it!" Shadow managed. Snow scowled and walked over. "Come on. Cough it up." She said.

Shadow shook his head. Snow scowled. "What'll it take?" She asked. A voice echoed through the room. "Be creative here love." Shadow scowled. "Shaddup Freed." He said as Snow yanked him forward by his tie into a kiss. Then she let go and Shadow toppled backwards into the floor. He smiled and snapped his fingers.

Snow's school uniform popped out of his shadow. She snatched it out of the air, pulling him up by his tie again. She winked. "You should wear a tie more often." She said, giving him another quick kiss before dropping him on the floor and running to her room to change out of the towel.

Carter and June ;P

"Oi!" Carter called as he ran out of his room and started looking under tables. "You seen my formal stuff?" He asked as he bent down to look under the table.

June smiled. "Nope." She said, popping the p in the word. Carter scowled and sat up, putting a elbow on the table. He shook his head.

"June come on. I need it." He said. "We have the recognition for Demon hunting in an hour and I'd like to mess around before." He said. June smirked and stuck her tongue out at him.

Carter sighed and walked around the table and stood over her. She was dressed in his white shirt and the red tie he'd planned to wear. He said and put his hands on his hips. "Come on." He said. "You look cute, but I need my tie."

June shook her head and smiled. "Take it from me. And you have another suit." She added. Carter scowled.

"I might have another suit, but I can only wear red and black so many times, besides, I agreed with Soul that I'd wear the white button up this time." He said.

June tightened the tie around her neck. "Nope. You look nicer in the red and black one. " She said. Carter rubbed his temples. "So? It's annoying when me and Soul wear the same damn thing over and over again." He explained.

June pierced her lips. "Fine." She said. "Bribe me." Carter raised an eyebrow as his eyes swept over her petite form. He grinned. "Fair enough." He said as he reached out and gripped the tie at the base. June let out a small whine of protest before Carter silenced it with a kiss. June let out a small groaned as Carter pulled away. He grinned.

One hour later, Carter shifted uncomfortably as his favorite teacher walked over. Soul smiled. "She steal your tie?" He asked.

Carter nodded slowly. Soul smirked and looked down at the white button up. "Well. Least we're not matching. " He said. "Although I'll have to do something if all she starts wearing to bed is my collared shirt.

Carter made a face. "DUDE!"

Jericho and Rei.

"I blame you." He said as he looked at her.  
>"Why? You didn't want me to go in a dress." Rei answered.<p>

Jericho scowled. "So? You look to go in a dress. I don't want them to see you like that." He said. "That's my thing. Blame the demon. I'm possessive as hell alright." He finally said crossing his arms.

Rei smiled and walked over to him, pressing him against the wall. "I know. But you're also Mine." She reminded him as she grabbed his tie.

Jericho grinned as his arm wrapped around her waist. "True, but I can mark you can't I?" He asked as his other hand burst into blue and black flames. Rei raised an eyebrow. "Is that a challenge?" She asked.

Jericho nodded as the flames slowed and softened as he took hold of the tie she's put on as a joke. "Sure is." He said.

They both pulled each other forward into a messy kiss. Jericho fell on top of her, pushing her against the floor, they rolled several times, still kissing, but Jericho managed to stay on top. The door opened and the both broke off to look up.

"I'll just leave." Jason said as he let his keys fall out of his hand. Rei smiled. "That'd be a good idea." She said. Jason's face slowly reddened until steam went out of his ears and he passed out, collapsing on the floor.

Jericho winched. "That's not good for his burns." He said. Rei raised an eyebrow. "Neither is this." She said. Jericho smiled. "Guess not."

**I was never really good with Corey and Britney for whatever reason. SO I'm skipping them. Instead you got Shadow and Snow, the new pair. Hope you enjoyed. Thank True Guardian Angel of Death for this update. Haha. ;P And music. **


	17. Scars

**Because everyone has Scars. Some are big. Some are small. Some can be healed, but others will stay with you until you die. But every scar can be treated as a 'lock' with the 'key' within reach. All you have to do. Is simply reach for it and it will set you free.**

"**Alright, alright, shut up and get on with it."**

**Shut up Carter. I felt all touchy feely for a moment. (I'm listening to If I Die Young so. Gimme a break)**

"**Wimp."**

**I WILL KILL YOU.**

"**Already have. Or have you forgotten about that?"**

**-_- You see what I have to deal with?**

**Short 1**

**Scars**

_Our sacred scars_

_Show who we are_

_They tell the story of our memories_

Scars. Such a simple word, but carries the weight of pain, regret, and sorrow. Pain of a lost loved one. Regret for not standing up for something before it was too late. And Sorrow for hurting something you loved more than anything. Carter, Corey, Jericho, and Shadow, they take down demons, they laugh, they cut up. But no one knows just how many 'scars' they really have. Except their partners.

'_Just one more little cut. Just one more.' _ Carter's own scream woke him up as he tore the covers off him. He was shivering, the covers wet as he found himself drenched in sweat. He got up and changed clothes. He stumbled out of his room and met something that made him smile.

"Another?" June asked, handing the hot coffee over to him with a smile. Carter nodded and moved towards the couch. June smiled and leaned against him. "Don't worry. I'll come chase him away again and again." She promised, yawning and leaning against him.

Carter looked at the clock. It was three in the morning. He'd fallen asleep at twelve. He grimaced. "You think they're up yet?" He asked.

June hummed. "No. Wait another five minutes. Corey stays in his a bit longer. And Shadow needs Snow to wake him up. Jericho is already awake though, he called a couple minutes ago saying he was going over to Rei's house. He'll be there in four minutes." She said.

Carter grinned. "I ever tell you that you're the best part of my nightmares?"

June smirked. "Are you sure those are nightmares? Or fantasies?"

Carter's grin widened. "How about you show me the difference?"

~*~*~*~*~*~Corey~*~*~*~*~*~

_"Run! Run! Get in the treehouse boys. Go on!" His mother said, struggling to keep a calm face as she pushed the two boys out the back door and up the wooden ladder. _

_ Corey climbed in after Simon, each boy panting as they collapsed on the hard wood floor of the treehouse. A scream ripped through the night and Corey knew his mother was dead. He choked back a sob and bit his lip. The roof came off and he knew this wasn't right. _

_ "No!" He yelled, his shrill kid voice echoing through the screams of dying men and children. "No! This isn't right!" He turned to see Simon and felt bile in his throat._

"SIMON!" He yelled, sitting up in bed.

Britney smiled, holding the box of strawberries next to him. "Here." She said, not bothering to address the dream. She knew what happened. She lived with him long enough. "Let's go to the living room." She suggested as Corey took three strawberries and jammed them into his mouth. He nodded slowly as he spit out the leaves.

Corey got up, shuffling out the door and flopping down on the couch. Britney sat down next to him. "They coming over tonight?" He asked. Britney shrugged. "Hm…."Corey hummed as he looked at the clock. Three in the morning. Carter would be awake.

~*~*~*~*~*~Jericho~*~*~*~*~*~*~

'_Just one more card Jeri dear. And then your pretty little soul is mine'_ _The black skeleton said. _

_ Jericho shrugged. He was eight. He was rebellious. "So what? I'll beat your punk ass before this game even ends." He said as a black ace was dealt into his hand. He dropped his cards. The skeleton smiled. _

_ "NO!" Jericho screamed jumping out of his chair and grabbing at the skeleton. Hands of the long dead erupted out of the ground and his flesh started burning off. He yelled as they pulled him back into his seat. "NO! GIMME BACK MY BODY DAMMIT!" He yelled as piece by piece, he watched himself assemble on the skeleton. _

_ And then he was staring at himself. "I'm going to burn it ALL to the ground kiddo." The demon said. _

"STOP!" Jericho yelled sitting up. He awoke to his body on fire, the black and blue flames not burning anything. He panted and they slowly died down. He felt a small hand on his shoulder and looked over to see Rei smiling at him.

"Let's go see the others." She said, tossing him his motorcycles keys. Jericho nodded and took a deep breath.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~Shadow~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

_'Fear the Light for you live in the Shadows. The Shadows are the place you shall live. Forever and Always. You will live and die here, but fear the light, for you shall burn in it.' The raspy voice screeched. _

_ 'No! I'm me! I'm not a shadow and you can't make me one! I have a mom! I have a dad! You can't make me something I'm not!' _

_ 'But you already are.' _

_ Darkness._

Shadow groaned and rolled over into something. He opened his eyes and saw red pupils staring at him. "FREED YOU ASSHOLE!" He yelled, slamming his fist into Freed. Freed scowled. "Jesus, take a joke." He said.

Shadow shook his head as Freed walked into Shadow's shadow, and melted into it. Shadow shivered. A knock came on the door and he pulled on a shirt. The door opened before he finished. He glanced to check the hair color, white, and then continued with his nightly schedule.

"Freed freak you out again?" Snow asked. Shadow nodded, casting a sideways glanced at her. She was already dressed. He jumped as he started pulling on his boots. "Same thing?" He nodded again and started pulling on the other boot.

"Ready." He said as he finished lacing up his boots.

Snow nodded and walked out of the room, locking the door as he ran past her and jumped into the seat of her car. She ran around to the other side and cranked the car as Shadow leaned back.

"This one from your dad?" He asked. She nodded. "He build it or buy it." She shot him a small glance. Shadow grinned. "Built, right." He said shaking his head. "You're old man is so cool." Snow smiled. "He's alright I guess."

She stopped three minutes late at Carter's house. She pulled the keys from the ignition and hopped out, but had to run to catch up as Shadow vaulted the fence and jogged up the steps. He knocked on the door. "Oi Bozos!" He yelled.

The door opened and a blue headed knucklehead smiled and pulled them in.

Scars are not always on the body. Scars that will never leave are those of the heart. Scars of loneliness and sorrow like Shadow, or curses of death like Jericho. The losing of loved ones like Carter and Corey, but there are always good memories to make up for them. And as it goes on, it gets better. Because there is always someone to lean on and help to you get through it.

Bad memories will never be forgotten. Carter will never go a day without wishing he could have saved his mother. But he will never regret was happened. Corey will always wish the Simon was still alive, but he knows better than to let it beat him. Instead they carry on. They push aside the memories of the dead and departed, or the sorrow and pain and they forge a new future.

They fight for what happens next, the new generation. And behind them are the ones that have stood before them, forging a very similar path in the world. The ones that have fought their fights and won there battles. The one's that have already left their mark on the world. And now they remain to push the next generation forward. For the living who are in the midst of their battles, and the beginning of their fights. To the children who still need heroes. To the partners that share their scars together. They all fight for a new day. To cast off the nightmares of yesterday and forge a brighter future.

And they fight for the living. To save the living. Because no matter what, the dead are gone, but they will always be there. Pushing you forward, standing at your side and wishing you luck. They might have gone, but the fight is not over. Nightmares are still there. So fight. Fight for the men beside you so they might never fall. Fight so that not a single person must die. Fight so never again will the nightmares of your life plague those of an innocent child. Fight for the Living.

**FOR THE LIVING**


End file.
